vinal] FIRST GRADE READERS 373 



See kitty. Mamma, see kitty. See kitty, mamma. My kitty. 

 See mv kitty. See my kitty, mamma, etc." As soon as possible 

 these books launch out from this stage into cat-lore, — "Ding, 

 Dong, Bell;" the kitten-mitten episode; the Pussy Cat and the 

 Queen; etc. There is an intermediate stage of true stories which 

 is omitted. What has been said about the cat is typical of other 

 animals. One must conclude that the "True to Nature" stories 

 are of rare occurrence in first grade readers. 



The child's written composition is too often a reflection of his 

 reader. It should be vice versa. The method of the teacher is 

 also influenced by the method of the readers. This influence 

 permeates the primary grades and the following essays written 

 by primary grade children represent the work of three different 

 teachers and three distinct methods. 



i. Golde rod. "My name is goldenrod. I live by the side 

 of the road. I have purple aster nearby. I am dressed in yellow. 

 It is like the sun. My friend has a purple and yellow dress. 

 I have a lot of gold-dust. I come in the autumn when the trees 

 are turning brown and yellow. My leaves are green and narrow." 

 This teacher saw nothing interesting in goldenrods and had had 

 no scientific training. The child did not learn anything about 

 goldenrods. The plant was humanized. Nature is interesting 

 enough in itself and needs no fluffiness. 



2. Nasturtium. "My flower has a green stem. My flower's 

 name is nasturtium. It has petals and is yellow and brown. 

 It smells nice. My flower grows in my garden. Bees go in it. 

 They make honey for us. There is some honey in the end." 

 This paper is a decided advance over type one. The plant has 

 a relation to the life of the child. Each flower fact however, is 

 isolated and has nothing to do with the life of the plant. Bees 

 do not gather honey. They gather nectar to make honey. 



3 . Dandelion . ' 'The dandelion grows in the meadow and on the 

 lawn. The root is long so that it can get the food in the ground. 

 The leaves are pointed. It is called the dandelion because the 

 leaves are like a lion's tooth. There are many dandelions because 

 when the lawn mower goes over them it cuts the leaves but it 

 does not hurt the roots. The animals do not eat them because 

 they are too bitter." Although there is much that could be 

 improved in a second draft the results attained in this composi- 

 tion are very creditable. This pupil saw a relation between the 



