PREFACE

No attempt has been made to set forth in this book a novel theory of reading. But the best that is known and used by well trained and thoughtful teachers is here reported in some detail. The authors have drawn upon their own experience, both in teaching and in training others to teach, their reading, and their observation for every fact stated or device explained. Nothing is merely theoretical. Yet, it will hardly happen that any one reader, unless he have put long study on the subject, will find nothing new in the book. Even if he should, an orderly setting forth of things already known brings them to mind afresh and usually from another point of view.

It is not expected that the book will prove equally helpful, of course, to all teachers. But the authors have aimed to be simple and direct and soundly practical. Teachers are urged to get the grasp of the entire second or third part, in whichever they are especially interested, before introducing the ideas of any one chapter into the schoolroom; for, although one point at a time should be emphasized in the teaching, the ideas in the various chapters are interwoven and are to a great extent interdependent.

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