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OTHER SPELLERS
J
OHN LOCKE, in 1690, said of elementary school education in England, " The method is to adhere to the ordinary road of the Hornbook, Primer, Psalter, Testament, and Bible; these are the only books used to engage the liking of children and tempt them to read." " The ordinary road " was the same here. There were three reading classes in the schools — " The Psalter Class " for beginners, next " The Testament Class," and thirdly " The Bible Class," which went through about two chapters at each school session and was expected to spell the words in the portions read. For a long time spelling-books were lacking, and they did not become common much before 1750; but after that time for fully three-quarters of a century the spelling-book was almost the sole resource of the school children for elementary instruction. Advanced readers were in the market in the early years of the republic, but readers for the beginners seem to have been thought unnecessary. Thus the spellers of the forefathers did double duty as spelling-books and primers, and were a much more important institution than they have ever been since.
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