PREFATORY NOTE

"An American Robinson Crusoe" is the outcome of many years of
experience with the story in the early grades of elementary schools.
It was written to be used as a content in giving a knowledge of the
beginning and development of human progress. The aim is not just to
furnish an interesting narrative, but one that is true to the course
of human development and the scientific and geographical facts of the
island on which Robinson is supposed to have lived.

The excuse for departing so widely from the original story is to be
found in the use which was desired to be made of it. The story here
presented is simply the free adaptation of the original narrative to
the demand for a specific kind of content in a form which would be
interesting to the children.

The teacher is and should be justified in using with entire freedom
any material accessible for the ends of instruction.

The text as here given has been published with an introduction and
suggestive treatments as a Teacher's Manual for Primary Grades--"The
Teacher's Robinson Crusoe." Explicit directions and ample suggestions
are made for the use of the story as material for instruction in all
the language arts, drawing, social history, and the manual arts.

Published by the Educational Publishing Company.