Object Details
- Description
- This edition of Webster’s Little Folks’ Speaker was published by R. M. DeWitt of New York around 1875. The book was part of the Webster’s Standard Series published by DeWitt that included Webster’s Progressive Speaker, Webster’s Youthful Speaker, and Webster’s Reciter. Each book was a collection of stories from various authors at progressive levels of difficulty to help young children learn to read. It appears that the book was compiled by Ira Hoover, and the title of “Webster” was simply an attempt to trade off the popularity of Noah Webster’s spellers and readers.
- The Copp Collection contains about 150 books of early American imprint and shows a wide range of reading matter typical of a New England Puritan family living in a port town. Literacy was expected of many New Englanders, as Puritan doctrine required everyone to read the Bible. The abundance of multiple Bibles, psalms, hymnodies, sermons, and morality tales reflects the Copp’s religious beliefs. Other highlights of the library include the works of Shakespeare, almanacs, historical and political texts, and travel narratives.
- The Copp Collection contains a variety of household objects that the Copp family of Connecticut used from around 1700 until the mid-1800s. Part of the Puritan Great Migration from England to Boston, the family eventually made their home in New London County, Connecticut, where their textiles, clothes, utensils, ceramics, books, bibles, and letters provide a vivid picture of daily life. More of the collection from the Division of Home and Community Life can be viewed by searching accession number 28810.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- Credit Line
- Gift of John Brenton Copp
- Measurements
- overall: 4 7/8 in x 6 7/8 in x 7/8 in; 12.3825 cm x 17.4625 cm x 2.2225 cm
- Object Name
- book
