A History of Children's Primers: Fact and Story Readers

 I went to elementary school in the 1960s, and kindergarten was not offered, so I went right into first grade. One of the most important things I learned in school was how to read. When I learned phonics and how to combine sounds to make words, those words fired up my mind.

We didn't have high-tech gadgets that stole our time in those days. Even watching television and listening to the radio was limited because homework came first. The rule was that we got our homework finished, and then we could play.  

I spent a significant amount of my time reading or being read to. Those beautiful stories filled with adventures near and far away jump-started my curious and creative mind. Given a choice of playing ball with my brothers or reading a book, I chose the book. 

It all began with children's primers. After my paternal great-grandmother passed away, I found a few old books among her household items. Memories flooded me like a waterfall when I opened one of the primers. They were the stories she had read to me. I was delighted to look through it. I marveled at the Victorian artwork and decided to do a little research to see what I could find. 

One of the books, Fact and Story Readers, Book Two, was first published in 1930. The authors were Henry Suzzallo, George Freeland, Katherine McLaughlin, and Ada M. Skinner, all of whom were born in the late nineteenth century.

My copy of the Fact and Story Readers Book Two:

Suzzallo was the president of the University of Washington from 1915 to 1926. After being fired from that position, he served as the director of the National Advisory Committee of Education and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. When the book series was published, he was a visiting professor of education at Columbia University in NYC, where he received his degree. 

The lone illustrator was Ruth Mary Hallock, who died in 1945. The illustrations in the books are relief prints. The exciting illustration notes describe the book with color-printed reliefs called color chromoxylographs. 

A peek inside the book. The story of Polly and the Fairy. (Author photo).

The American Book Company was an educational book publisher formed in 1890 by consolidating four other publishing houses. After 1981, D.C. Heath and Company eventually took over the company. 

A descriptive side note to the Little Primer states that the books contain short stories about children at home, play, and work. The stories become progressively longer and more challenging to read. At the end of each story is a vocabulary list for students to review. Each story always holds a moral or a lesson to learn.

Inside the book: The story of Laddie the dog.  (Author photo).

One of the primers I own is Book 2, which includes poems by Robert Louis Stevenson. After each story, there are various comprehension questions, fill-in-the-blank sentences, or multiple-choice questions and answers. 

The primers are now part of the digitized children's historical literature collection in the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division repository. Of course, you can find used copies online at eBay and Amazon, as well as at flea markets and used bookstores.