My MOTHER's READER 1878

 My Mother was born April 5th 1908, in Bethune Saskatchewan. If she were alive today she would be 111 years old tomorrow. One of her favourite things was an old Reader from  the Fourth Grade from Moorland School.the Reader was published in 1878. Some historical events happening in the month of April in this year: California Cable Car begins,New York installs first firepole;Ivory Soap invented; Egg rolling introduced for Easter at White House by First lady Lucy Hayes ;Anna Sewell, author of "Black Beauty" passes away....

My mother attended Moorland School. A one room schoolhouse that all of her two brothers and one  sister attended. My mother loved her books. She loved school. But she didn't get that far . She was expected to help out on the farm. It always bothered her  she could not get to stay in school. My mother saved her copy, like she saved so many old books. Her hands turned these pages, along with many other hands, I suspect.

My mother saved her copy, like she saved so many old books. Her hands turned these pages, along with many other hands, I suspect.  This Reader was saved from a fire, and  weathered well. I can still remember her reading it from time to time. I'd catch her sitting at the kitchen table. Lost in the words. She even wrote her name in the front cover. Her signature was round and formed. She always complained  no one taught penmanship like she had to learn. She thought my hand writing was scrawly and huge..

And the grammar pages. written and marked by countless children, maybe even the teacher at the time. My mother said the teacher was strict and  dressed in white starched blouse with dark skirt most days. With a heavy coat to keep out the chill when the fire died in the schoolroom.

 Words like "lachrymal", "triphthongal","allegorical".....amazing words.To think this book existed during Queen Victoria's reign, the first World War, probably the second World War.........the depression, then probably faded away  like all of the students of Moorland School.

She had a favourite poem  Page 131 of Appletons' Fourth Grade Reader 1886

 "I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER" by Thomas Hood (1799-1845) 

 I remember, I remember the house where I was born, the little window where the sun came peeping in at morn.He ever came a wink too soon, 

 Nor brought too long a day. But now I often wish the night had borne my breath away!

 I remember, I remember the roses red and white

 The violets and the lily-cups those flowers made of light! The lilacs where the robin built

 And where my brother set the laburnum on his birthday

 The tree is living yet!

 I remember, I remember where I was used  to swing

 And thought the air must rush as fresh

 to swallows on the wing.

 My spirit flew in feathers then, that is so heavy now

 And summer pools could hardly cool the fever on my brow!

 I remember, I remember! The fir trees, dark and high; I used to think their slender tops were close against the sky.

 It was a childish ignorance.......................

 But now tis little joy to know I'm further off from heaven than when I was a boy.....

1936

Appleton's Fourth Grade Reader 1878 written by William T. Harris, Superintendent of Schools, St. Louis Misssouri; Andrew J. Rickoff, Superintendent of Instruction, Cleveland, Ohio; Mark Bailey, Instructor in Elocution, Yale College

Photographs 2019    Moorland School Photo 1910