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Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1831, by DORR & HowLAND, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

MUSIC BOOK FOR INFANT SCHOOLS.

THE JUVENILE LYRE, or Hymns and Songs, Religious, Moral, and Cheerful, set to appropriate Music. For the use of Primary and Common Schools. It will be recollected that the subject of this work was proposed, and its utility supported by the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge, in his Lecture delivered the last summer before the American Institute of Instruction. This work, the principal materials of which are from the German schools, has been in preparation since that period, and has been edited by gentlemen well known to the public for their ability fully to perform the task. The music is simple, chaste and beautiful, and admirably adapted to the purpose. Each air has a base and harmony, and is equally adapted for the parlor and the school room. Many of the hymns and songs are translations from the German, especially for this work; some are selected, and a few original.

The advantages attending the early cultivation of music, as stated in the preface, are its means of promoting devotional feelings in the worship of God; of pure and rational enjoyment; of health, in its exercise; of the improvement of the heart, and its favorable influence on the mental powers. "No one will question its powers to soften the character and elevate the feelings. It diverts, too, the young from amusements of a questionable character, and it is said that a reformation has in more than one village district been effected, by introducing vocal music among the youth. In the schools upon the continent of Europe, it has been found materially to promote the good order and discipline of the pupils; to render them more kind to each other, and more obedient to their teachers."

The work has received the approbation of the editors of the "Annals of Education," and the "Education Reporter," and many other periodicals; and has been introduced into many schools, and is highly approved by all who have used it.

HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
047*179

STEREOTYPED BY LYMAN THURSTON & CO.
BOSTON.

ADVERTISEMENT.

ty.

FROM the first notice of Infant Schools, the author has felt a deep and increasing interest for their prosperiHaving perceived the inconvenience to which the teachers of these schools are subjected, by depending much on manuscript lessons, and fearing that this impediment, together with the want of variety, would seriously hinder the progress of this interesting species of instruction, an attempt has been made to provide a remedy by preparing the Manual or Teacher's Assistant.

Believing that individual happiness as well as good morals, are the result of pure principles, and that these should be early established in the mind, it was thought an important object to prepare the moral lessons, which it is humbly hoped, if faithfully inculcated, may secure these happy results. As the use of correct language is an object of primary importance, and necessarily becomes the task of the infant, lessons are prepared in various forms of definitions, calculated to assist the pupil, and, at the same time, to excite such a curiosity as will not be satisfied with the knowledge of words, without understanding their meaning and use.

The lessons in geography are designed to assist the infant to form consistent views of the earth, also, of the order and design of civil communities, and to direct the attention, to the varied wisdom and goodness of the Almighty, which are so clearly evinced by the works of nature.

As colored pictures have rendered the study of scripture and natural history exceedingly pleasing, it was. thought desirable that extensive lessons in these subjects, should be prepared; and observing that children best retain in the memory those things which they repeat, the questions in these lessons are so disposed, that the story is for the most part comprehended in the answer. It is thought this will also tend to secure the interest of the little ones, who are ever fond of hearing and relating stories. If an answer is found too long for the comprehension of the pupil, the teacher can subdivide the subject by several questions, according to her own judgment, and it is expected she will have occasion to intersperse explanatory inquiries, which will always be requisite when the subject is not readily apprehended.

The variety and beauty both of color and form with which our beneficent Creator has been pleased to adorn the vegetable world, renders the science of botany a subject of the eager curiosity of children, and will be found one of their most pleasing studies, when illustrated by specimens, which are as requisite here, as pictures in lessons from history. Such specimens as cannot be obtained, may be represented by pointing out the difference between them and others. The fruit and spices,

procured from various plants described, should also be exhibited to the pupils.

It was thought proper to prepare lessons in the elements of geometry, the knowledge of which will enable children to designate the various shapes of bodies by appropriate language.

The test of experience shows this to be an important acquisition to children, as those who have been instructed in these lessons, readily distinguish objects and describe them intelligibly.

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ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION.

THIS edition of the Manual has been revised and corrected, and has the addition of more than one fourth of matter which is brought into nearly the same compass, by means of printing in a smaller type.

The lessons which have been most approved have been extended; particularly that of the definitions of words, to which is prefixed a simple method of thorough instruction in this branch.

Some new lessons are added which it is hoped will much enhance the value of the work; particularly lessons in grammar on a plan which divests the science of all needless formality; and by simply illustrating, what is grammar, and what is its use, renders it at once both simple and delightful.

Lessons in prosody and punctuation are prepared in the inductive method, which it is presumed will render them more intelligible to the pupils.

Items of various subjects for familiar questions are designed to assist in communicating instruction on common things, which is a business particularly incumbent on the teachers of infant schools.

The time for preparing this edition has been so unexpectedly limited, that some lessons which were contemplated for it are necessarily deferred.

Brookfield, July, 1830.

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