The New Texas School Reader
During the War Between the States, or its better known appellation, the United States Civil War, school textbooks in Texas were scarce. Previously books were used that were produced in the North and in Europe; but with secession the Northern books fell out of favor. A blockade made the European books unobtainable.
To alleviate the problem, the Reverend J. R. Hutchinson of the Houston Academy, with help from "many other gentleman and ladies of our State," produced a new series of Texas school textbooks called the New Texas Series. These books were published by E. H. Cushing Company of Houston, the same company that published the Houston Telegraph. Included in this series: The New Texas Primer, Hymns for Youth in Texas, The New Texas Grammar, and The New Texas School Reader.
The New Texas School Reader is intended for mid elementary level children. It's stories, which reflect the time, are mostly about Texas history, and the South. They are very interesting from a modern perspective.
The text of this site is an exact copy of The New Texas Reader. It is broken down into lessons. The following is the original preface that appeared in the book.
ORIGINAL PREFACE
In preparing the "Texas Reader," we have aimed at simplicity, both in style and language. Among the large number of original articles here presented, we have bestowed special care on those which relate to our own State. These have been gathered from the most reliable sources, and were written with the view of inspiring our youth with a love of Texas, and an admiration of Texan heroes. The struggles of those who settled the country and fought its battles should be familiarly known to our children. We, therefore, feel assured that our effort to present important historical incidents in an accessible form, and in a style adapted to the comprehension of the young, will be fully appreciated.
The "Texas Reader" is a home production. It is a Southern work, and is called for, not merely from feelings of State pride, but is also demanded by the wants of the country. The present inadequate supply of school books is becoming a subject of universal complaint. The cause of this complaint we are endeavoring to remove.
In preparing the Reader, we have, as a matter of course, made use of other books of the same kind. The selected articles are worthy of the place they occupy. Our book would be incomplete without them; and they will be recognized, by many a school-boy, as old and familiar friends, without whose presence our new Reader might not meet with so cordial a welcome.
The favor with which the previous numbers of our Series have been received has greatly encouraged us in presenting this third volume to the youth of Texas. We are convinced that a book of the kind has become a necessity, and others will follow in due time. Let all encourage domestic manufactures. Let us become independent in the means of education, as in everything else. The South has made heroes; let us also make books.
It was our intention to have extended this book to two hundred and fifty pages, and the matter has been prepared for a book of that size. The present scarcity of printing paper having forced us to curtail the book to its present dimensions, at some future day, should a second edition be called for, we hope to be able, not only to publish this book as originally designed, but to add a Fourth to the Series. For both of these we solicit original articles, in conformity to the general design of this work, which will be carefully preserved until we are able to print them.
In the preparation of this book, we are largely indebted to Rev. J. R. Hutchison, D. D., of the Houston Academy, and many other gentlemen and ladies of our State, to all of whom we tender our heartfelt thanks.
E. H. CUSHING,
Publisher
HOUSTON, January 15, 1864.