The New England Primer

Define: primer – (prim`er; Brit. now generally pri`mer), n. 1. A book, orig. a prayer book, used in teaching children to read or spell; hence, an elementary textbook. (Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Fifth Edition, G.&C. Merriam Co., Publishers Springfield, Mass., USA. 1939)

Did you ever wonder where did the verse

“Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep;

If I should die before I wake,

I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take.”

came from?

The answer is The New England Primer, was an early method to teach young children the English language. This was of utmost importance in the mind of the puritans who immigrated from England to the New England. It was America’s first school book and the #2 best seller preceeded only by The Holy Bible.

“New England Primer famous American school book, first published before 1690. Its compiler was Benjamin Harris, an English printer who emigrated to Boston. This was the book from which most of the children of colonial America learned to read. The letters of the alphabet were illustrated by rhymed couplets (e.g., “The idle Fool/Is whipt at School” ) and woodcuts; the lessons frequently contained moral texts based on the Old Testament. The book was reprinted many times, with various changes in text and even in title. Although it has been estimated that as many as 2 million were sold in the 18th cent., copies of the book are now rare.”

From The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

“Advertised as an easy and pleasant guide to the art of reading, this New England primer is a facsimile reprint circa 1905. Illustrated with black and white woodcuts, the rhyming lessons were intended to teach moral values as well as reading. Schoolbooks were not provided by the schools at this time and parents were obligated to purchase books for their children from a list approved by their local District School Committee.”

“The first settlers of New England brought primers with them from England where they had been in use for over a hundred years. Primers, also known as catechisms, began as devotional books containing simple instructions in Christian knowledge. Such books typically contained an illustrated alphabet along with informative pictures and stories with a heavy dose of moralism. This example includes both Biblical (e.g., Zacheus) and modern references (Washington). Even in this late edition, the Puritan preoccupation with death was impressed on young readers.”

From American Centuries . . . a view from New England website – digital collections

The New England Primer - wikipedia

1777 version

1805 version (scanned)

The New England Primer

The New England Primer: A History of its Orgin and Development

The Story of A: The Alphabetization of America from The New England Primer

The Common School – Literacy Then and Now by Andrew Newman

The Colonial Period

A True Tale Told

"Everywhere, everywhere
    A tale is told to me--
  It is told in the sunny air,
    It is told on the sparkling sea.

  "It is told in the forest brakes,
    It is told on the purple hills,
  By the silent mountain lakes,
    By the singing and leaping rills.

  "In the meadows that stretch away
    As a sea of golden green,
  With hedges of sweet white may
    And the reedy brooks between.

  "Where I wander and run and rest,
    The tale is told to me,
  The sweetest tale and the best
    Of all the tales that be.

  "The tale is the tale of Jesus;
    It is told in heaven above,
  On the sea and the moors and the mountains,
    In language of all the peoples,
         The speech of love.

  "The morning star and the dayspring,
    The sun and the cloud and the shower,
  The grass and the rose and the cedar,
    His glory and love are telling
         From hour to hour.

  "The birds in the green wood singing,
    The sea that is wide and deep,
  The sheep in the folds of the mountains,
    The corn in the golden valleys,
         And all beside.

  "All round me are glorious pictures
    Of him who has made them fair;
  Through the long bright day I can see Him,
    And I fear not the silent darkness,
         For He is there,"

       -- FRANCES BEVAN

Translations from hymn of Heinrich Suso


Biography of Frances Bevan at Christian History

Hymns of Frances Bevan

THE VAUDOIS TEACHER

“THE VAUDOIS TEACHER”

“‘Oh, lady fair, these silks of mine
Are beautiful and rare;
The richest web of the Indian loom,
Which beauty’s queen might wear.
And my pearls are pure as thine own fair neck,
With whose radiant light they vie;
I have brought them with me a weary way -
Will my gentle lady buy?’

“And the lady smiled on the worn old man
Through the dark and clustering curls
Which veiled her brow, as she bent to view
His silks and glittering pearls;
And she placed their price in the old man’s hand,
And lightly turned away;
But she paused at the wanderer’s earnest call -
‘My gentle lady, stay!’

“‘Oh, lady fair, I have yet a gem
Which a purer lustre flings
Than the diamond flash of the jewelled crown
On the lofty brow of kings:
A wonderful pearl of exceeding price,
Whose virtue shall not decay;
Whose light shall be as a spell to thee,
And a blessing on thy way!’

“The lady glanced at the mirroring steel,
Where her form of grace was seen,
Where her eye shone clear and her dark locks waved
Their clasping pearls between -
‘Bring forth thy pearl of exceeding worth,
Thou traveller grey and old;
Then name the price of thy precious gem,
And my page shall count the gold.’

“The cloud went off from the pilgrim’s brow,
As a small and meagre book,
Unchased with gold or gem of cost,
Prom his folding robe he took;
‘Here, lady fair, is the pearl of price:
May it prove as such to thee;
Nay, keep thy gold; I ask it not,
For the Word of God is free.’

“The hoary traveller went his way,
But the gift he left behind
Hath had its pure and perfect work
On that high-born maiden’s mind;
And she hath turned from the pride of sin
To the lowliness of truth,
And given her human heart to God
In its beautiful hour of youth.”

J. G. WHITTIER

Twighlight and Dawn

Twilight And Dawn or Simple Talks on the Six Days of Creation by Caroline Pridham

A delightful book geared toward children written in the 19th century.

To Read Entire Book Here

Or Here