I hesitate not to say that the fault rests exclusively with the teachers, who, finding this department of their work more troublesome than others which are attractive to visitors, have sometimes neglected it, and even thrown it entirely aside, affirming that reading is not a part of the infant system at all! Such a declaration is, however, only to be accounted for from the most lamentable ignorance, preverseness, or both.

Had it been true, we should not have had a single infant school in Scotland, and throughout that country the children read delightfully.
The great importance of full instruction in reading will be apparent from the following considerations.
1.

If the parents do not find the children learn to read, they will discontinue sending them.

This they consider essential, and nothing else will be deemed by them an adequate substitute.
2.

Children cannot make desirable progress in other schools which they may enter, unless they obtain an ability to read at least simple lessons.
3.