| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I | |
| Educational Value of Literature | 1 |
| CHAPTER II | |
| The Use of Masterpieces as Wholes | 41 |
| CHAPTER III | |
| Literary Materials for the Five Upper Grades | 67 |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| Class-Room Method in Reading | 102 |
| CHAPTER V | |
| Method further Discussed and Illustrated | 135 |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| The Value of Classics to the Teacher | 176 |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| List of Books | 205 |
The gradual introduction of the choicer productsof literature into the grades of the common schoolhas been going on for several years. Bringing theschool children face to face with the thoughts of themasters has had often a thrilling effect, and the feelinghas spread among teachers that a new door hasbeen opened into what Ruskin calls "The King'sGardens." As we stand at this open portal to theElysian Fields of literature, there may fall upon ussomething of the beauty, something even of thesolemn stillness, of the arched cathedral with itsgolden windows. But how inadequate is the Gothiccathedral, or the Greek temple, to symbolize thetemple of literature.
Within less than a score of years there has beensuch reading of varied literary masterpieces by childrenas to bring us face to face with a problem ofprime significance in education, the place and importan