This historical manual for primary school teachers was designed for use alongside textbooks of the 1880s, and provides abundant insight into the classrooms of the era.

Written at a time when most teaching in America took place in small schoolhouses, the author - who wrote anonymously - speaks of the sheer demand for standardized guidance among teachers of the time. There was no national system of education in the USA during the 1880s; rather there were local authorities, loosely overseen by superintendents usually based in the larger towns and cities. Many of the schools of the era were poorly organized, their teachers often lacking professional training or standardized education in tutoring.

This handbook is designed to remedy several of the classic pitfalls made in the classroom. It provides guidance on the subjects of the time: reading, spelling, arithmetic, English grammar, geography and history and physiology. While the text references the McGuffey's series of textbooks popular at the time, as a standalone resource it is insightful. Some sixty-three tables and illustrations accompany the text, which establishes a comprehensive teaching regimen.