Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1885, by

C. E. MELENEY AND WM. M. GIFFIN,

in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

PREFACE.

TH

HE authors of this book were among the number who believed that spelling could be as well taught from Readers and other text-books as from an ordinary Speller; but, after due trial, found it necessary virtually to make spelling-books for assistant teachers, by collecting the words to be used in th spelling lessons.

Words and selections that have been so used are now rearranged and offered to the profession, in the hope that others may be saved much time and trouble. In making this collection, the vocabularies of all the standard series of readers now or recently in use were carefully compared, and the words used by two or more authors were chosen for the lessons to be used in this book.

The words are embraced in the vocabularies of First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Readers, or such as a pupil will come in contact with in Primary and Grammar Schools. These words may be divided

into two classes: First, those familiar to the child, that is, the speaking or reading vocabulary, — words that they use and understand; Second, such words as pupils meet in advanced reading, the use and meaning of which are unfamiliar.

Part I. contains words of the first class, selected from First, Second, and Third Readers. Part II. contains words of the second class, or unfamiliar words, taken from Fourth and Fifth Readers. Both parts also contain words used in connection with other school studies.

It must be admitted that children become familiar, by reading and conversation, with a great many words that they do not know how to spell, and never will unless their attention is especially called to each word. It will be found that children in Grammar classes will miss First Reader words; therefore it is necessary to teach the spelling of these words. Part I. contains material for spelling lessons; and it is to be hoped that no time will be wasted in making sentences to illustrate the use of words that are perfectly familiar; yet many Third Reader words may be unfamiliar to some children, in which case practice upon the meaning and use of the words will be necessary.

Part II. introduces new words in sentences, that

there may be no doubt of their meaning. The selections may be reproduced from memory for spelling Words are also grouped to

lessons or for recitations.

form the basis of compositions.

Great care has been taken not to duplicate words, except when introduced for review lessons. It will be necessary, therefore, to teach the spelling carefully, because the word will not occur again except in very

rare cases.

The Introduction offers a system for teaching correct pronunciation, indicating the sounds of letters in syllables.

Section 1 contains about 600 words from First Readers. Section 2 contains 2200 words from Second Readers not contained in Section 1. Section 3 contains 2768 more words, all from Third Readers. Part II. contains 2160 different words not used in Part I.

Some features of the book that may appeal to the good judgment of teachers are the following:

I. The Review Lessons contain words selected by class teachers, who from long experience have learned what words children most often misspell,