BARNES'S NEW NATIONAL READERS

* * * * *

NEW NATIONAL FIRST READER

BY
CHARLES J. BARNES
HARLAN H. BALLARD
S. PROCTOR THAYER

NEW YORK--CINCINNATI--CHICAGO
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

1888, by A.S. BARNES & CO.

* * * * *

[Illustration: PREFACE]

The authors of this book believe,--

1st.--_That the Word Method is the most natural and practicable,_
because words are representatives of objects, actions, etc., while
letters, or sounds, in the abstract, convey no meaning to the pupil, and
are devoid of interest.

2d.--_That words of ordinary length are as easily learned as short ones,
provided they are familiar to the pupil_. No teacher will doubt the
statement that a pupil will learn the word "mamma'" as easily as "says"