PRICES.-The prices herein given for Text-Books are those observed at our own counter. If any book is ordered by mail twenty-five per cent (1⁄4) should be added for postage and mailing fee. The prices of Library Books include postage. A complete price list will be sent on application.

By J. MADISON WATSON.

The Independent First (Primary) Reader, 80 pp., 16mo,

The Independent Second Reader,
The Independent Third Reader,
The Independent Fourth Reader,
The Independent Fifth Reader,
The Independent Sixth Reader,
The Independent Complete Speller,

18

160 pp., 16mo,

35

240 pp., 16mo,

50

264 pp., 12mo,

70

336 pp., 12mo,

90

The Independent Youth's Speller (Script), 168 pp., 12mo,

35

The Independent Child's Speller (Script),

PARKER & WATSON'S NATIONAL READERS,

The salient features of these works which have combined to render them s popular may be briefly recapitulated as follows:

1. THE WORD-BUILDING SYSTEM.-This famous progressive method for young children originated and was copyrighted with these books. It constitute process with which the beginner with words of one letter is gradually intro duced to additional lists formed by prefixing or affixing single letters. and is thus Jed almost insensibly to the mastery of the more difficult constructions. This is one of the most striking modern improvements in methods of teaching.

2. TREATMENT OF PRONUNCIATION.-The wants of the youngest scholars in this department are not overlooked. It may be said that from the first lesson the student by this method need never be at a loss for a prompt and accurate rendering of every word encountered.

3. ARTICULATION AND ORTHOEPY are considered of primary importance. 4. PUNCTUATION is inculcated by a series of interesting reading lessons, the simple perusal of which suffices to fix its principles indelibly upon the mind.

5. ELOCUTION. Each of the higher Readers (3d, 4th and 5th) contains elaborate, scholarly, and thoroughly practical treatises on elocution. This feature alone has secured for the series many of its warmest friends.

6. THE SELECTIONS are the crowning glory of the series. Without excep. tion it may be said that no volumes of the same size and character contain a collection so diversified, judicious, and artistic as this. It embraces the choicest gems of English literature, so arranged as to afford the reader ample exercise in every department of style. So acceptable has the taste of the authors in this de. partment proved, not only to the educational public but to the reading community at large, that thousands of copies of the Fourth and Fifth Readers have found their way into public and private libraries throughout the country, where they are in constant use as manuals of literature, for reference as well as perusal.

7. ARRANGEMENT. The exercises are so arranged as to present constantly alternating practice in the different styles of composition, while observing a definite plan of progression or gradation throughout the whole. In the higher books the articles are placed in formal sections and classified topically, thus concentrating the interest and inculcating a principle of association likely to prove valuable ir subsequent general reading.

8. NOTES AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. These are full and adequate to every want. The biographical sketches present in pleasing style the history of every author laid under contribution.

9. ILLUSTRATIONS. These are plentiful, almost profuse, and of the highest character of art. They are found in every volume of the series as far as and including the Third Reader.

10. THE GRADATION is perfect. Each volume overlaps its companion preceding or following in the series, so that the scholar, in passing from one to another, is only conscious, by the presence of the new book, of the transition.

11. THE PRICE is reasonable. The National Readers contain more matte than any other series in the same number of volumes published. Considering their completeness and thoroughness they are much the cheapest in the market. 12. BINDING. By the use of a material and process known only to themselves, in common with all the publications of this house, the National Readers are warranted to outlast any with which they may be compared-the ratio of relative da rability being in their favor as two to one.

WATSON'S INDEPENDENT READERS.

This Series is designed to meet a general demand for smaller and cheaper books than the National Series proper, and to serve as well for intermediate vol umes of the National Readers in large graded schools requiring more books tha one ordinary series will supply.

Beauty. The most casual observer is at once impressed with the unparalleled mechanical beauty of the Independent Readers. The Publishers believe that the æsthetic tastes of children may receive no small degree of cultivation from their very earliest school books, to say nothing of the importance of making study at tractive by all such artificial aids that are legitimate. In accordance with this view, not less than $25,000 was expended in their preparation before publishing, with a result which entitles them to be considered "The Perfection of Common School Books."

Selections. They contain, of course, none but entirely new selections. These are arranged according to a strictly progressive and novel method of developing the elementary sounds in order in the lower numbers, and in all, with a view to topics and general literary style. The mind is thus led in fixed channels to profi. ciency in every branch of good reading, and the evil results of 'scattering' as prac tised by most school-book authors, avoided.

The Illustrations, as may be inferred from what has been said, are elegant beyond comparison. They are profuse in every number of the series from tho lowest to the highest. This is the only series published of which this is true.

The Type is semi-phonetic, the invention of Prof. Watson. By it every

letter having more than one sound is clearly distinguished in all its variations without in any way mutilating or disguising the normal form of the letter.

Elocution is taught by prefatory treatises of constantly advancing grade and completeness in each volume, which are illustrated by wood-cuts in the lower books, and by black-board diagrams in the higher. Prof. Watson is the first to introduce Practical Illustrations and Black-board Diagrams for teaching this branch.

Foot Notes on every page afford all the incidental instruction which the teacher is usually required to impart. Indices of words refer the pupil to the place of their first use and definition. The Biographies of Authors and others are in every sense excellent.

Economy. Although the number of pages in each volume is fixed at the minimum, for the purpose recited above, the utmost amount of matter available without overcrowding is obtained in the space. The pages are much wider and larger than those of any competitor and contain twenty per cent more matter than any other series of the same type and number of pages.

All the Great Features. Besides the above all the popular features of the National Readers are retained except the Word-Building system. The latter gives place to an entirely new method of progressive development, based upon some of the best features of the Word System, Phonetics and Object Lessons.

NATIONAL READERS.

ORIGINAL AND "INDEPENDENT”

SPECIMEN TESTIMONIALS.

SERIES

From D. H. HARRIS, Supt. Public Schools, Hannibal, Mo.

The National Series of Readers are now in use in our public schools, and I regare them the best that I have ever examined or used.

From HON. J. K. JILLSON, Supt. of Education, State of South Carolina.

I have carefully examined your new and beautiful Series of Readers known as "The Independent Readers," and do not hesitate to recommend it as the finest and most excellent ever presented to the public.

From D. N. ROOK, Sec. of School Board, Williamsport, Pa.

I would say that Parker & Watson's Series of Readers and Spellers give the best satisfaction in our schools of any Series of Readers and Spellers that have ever been used. There is nothing published for which we would exchange them

From PROF. H. SEELE, New Braunfels Academy, Texas.

I recommend the National Readers for four good reasons: (1.) The printing, en graving, and binding is excellent. (2.) They contain choice selections from English Literature. (3.) They inculcate good morals without any sectarian bias. (4.) Ther are truly National, because they teach pure patriotism and not sectional prejudice.

From S. FINDLEY, Supt. Akron Schools, Ohio.

We use no others, and have no desire to. They give entire satisfaction. We like the freshness and excellence of the selections. We like the biographical notes and the definitions at the foot of the page. We also like the white paper and clear and beautiful type. In short, we do not know where to look for books which would be so satisfactory both to teachers and pupils.

From PRES. ROBERT ALLYN, McKendree College, Ill.

Since my connection with this college, we have used in our preparatory depart ment the Series of Readers known as the "National Readers," compiled by Parker & Watson, and published by Messrs. A. S. Barnes & Co. They are excellent; affor choice selections; contain the right system of elocutionary instruction, and ar well printed and bound so as to be serviceable as well as interesting. I can com mend them as among the excellent means used by teachers to make their pupil proficient in that noblest of school arts, GOOD READING.

From W. T. HARRIS, Supt. Public Schools, St. Louis, Mo.

I have to admire these excellent selections in prose and verse, and the carefu arrangement which places first what is easy of comprehension, and proceeds grade. ally to what is difficult. I find the lessons so arranged as to bring together differ ent treatments of the same topic, thereby throwing much light on the pupil's path, and I doubt not adding greatly to his progress. The proper variety of subject chosen, the concise treatise on elocution, the beautiful typography and substantia binding-all these I find still more admirable than in the former series of National Readers, which I considered models in these respects.

From H. T. PHILLIPS, Esq., of the Board of Education, Atlanta, Ga. The Board of Education of this city have selected for use in the public school of Atlanta the entire series of your Independent Readers, together with Steele Chemistry and Philosophy. As member of the Board, and of the Committee of Text-books, the subject of Readers was referred to me for examination. I gave? pretty thorough examination to ten (10) different series of Readers, and in endea voring to arrive at a decision upon the sole question of merit, and entirely inde pendent of any extraneous influence, I very cordially recommended the Independen Series. This verdict was approved by the Committee and adopted by the Board. From Report of REV. W. T. BRANTLY, D.D., late Professor of Belles Lettres, Univer sity of Georgia, on "Text-Books in Reading," before the Teachers' Convention of Georgia, May 4, 1870.

The National Series, by Parker & Watson, is deserving of its high reputation. The Primary Books are suited to the weakest capacity; whilst those more advanced supply instructive illustration on all that is needed to be known in connection with the art.

WATSON'S CHILD'S SPELLER.

THE INDEPENDENT CHILD'S SPELLER.

This unique book, published in 1872, is the first to be consistently printed in Imitation of writing; that is, it teaches orthography as we use it. It is for the smallest class of learners, who soon become familiarized with words by their forms and learn to read writing while they spell.

EXTRACT FROM THE PREFACE.

Success in teaching English orthography is still exceptional, and it must so continue until the principles involved are recognized in practice. Form is foremost: the eye and the hand must be trained to the formation of words; and since spelling is a part of writing, the written form only should be used. The laws of mental association, also-especially those of resemblance, contrast, and contiguity in time and place-should receive such recognition in the construction of the text-book as shall insure, whether consciously or not, their appropriate use and legitimate re. sults. Hence, the spelling-book, properly arranged, is a necessity from the first; and, though primers, readers, and dictionaries may serve as aids, it can have no competent substitute.

Consistently with these views, the words used in the Independent Child's Spelle have such original classifications and arrangements in columns-in reference t location, number of letters, vowel sounds, alphabetic equivalents, and consonar terminations-as exhibit most effectively their formation and pronunciation. Th vocabulary is strictly confined to the simple and significant monosyllables in com. mon use. He who has mastered these may easily learn how to spell and pronounce words of more than one syllable.

The introduction is an illustrated alphabet in script, containing twenty-six pic tures of objects, and their names, commencing both with capitals and small letters. Part First embraces the words of one, two, and three letters; Part Second, the words of four letters; and Part Third, other monosyllables. They are divided into short lists and arranged in columns, the vowels usually in line, so as to exhibit individual characteristics and similarity of formation. The division of words into paragraphs is shown by figures in the columns. Each list is immediately followed by sentences for reading and writing, in which the same words are again presented with irregularities of form and sound. Association is thus employed, memory tested, and definition most satisfactorily taught.

Among the novel and valuable features of the lessons and exercises, probably the most prominent are their adaptedness for young children and their being printed in exact imitation of writing. The author believes that hands large enough to spin a top, drive a hoop, or catch a ball, are not too small to use a crayon, or a slate and pencil; that the child's natural desire to draw and write should not be thwarted, but gratified, encouraged, and wisely directed; and that since the written form is the one actually used in connection with spelling in after-life, the eye and the hand 'of the child should be trained to that form from the first. He hopes that this little work, designed to precede all other spelling-books and conflict with none, may satisfy the need so universally recognized of a fit introduction to crtbography, per manship, and Fuglsh composition.