Proverbs
20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be
pure, and whether it be right.
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Welcome to An Old-Fashioned Education. I'm Miss Maggie, owner and creator of this site. You'll find here a directory of free homeschool curricula, literature and text books organized for the use of homeschooling families.
Homeschooling
can cost a fortune if we're not careful. A textbook plus the
answer manual, teacher's manual and test booklet can easily run over
$200! And that's just for one grade level and one subject.
Good grief! Do they think we're all growing money-trees in the
back yard? Public domain works include those that were published before 1923. They are now copyright free. This means that the public may download, print, copy and reproduce these texts in any way they please. For instance, these books can be printed out and used in a small new homeschool that is low on cash but high in creativity. Eureka! A solution presents itself.
So
instead, I went in search of educational resources that would allow
me to customize a program that would suit the needs of my children
and still accomodate my pocketbook. After examining online
sources of public domain texts like Project
Gutenberg, Online
Books Page, Internet
Archive,
Baldwin
Project
and Christian
Classics Ethereal Library
While working with these older texts, I've discovered that they have a few advantages over modern books. First off, they have high expectations for their readers. These books haven't been dumbed-down to a lower standard or watered-down to politically correct pabulum. Since most children will perform according to their parent's expectations, it is vital that we maintain high educational standards. These books help parents achieve that goal. Also, since most of the books are available in simple text format, I can open them up in my favorite word processing program and tweak them to suit my fancy. If I like, I can print only a few pages, or even a few paragraphs. There is no rule that each book must be printed out in its entirety and used from beginning to end. I can take the best parts from 3 or 4 different texts and make my own composite that is custom created for the needs of my children and our curriculum. This provides a lot of leeway that I wouldn't have if I were using modern textbooks. If you have children who are frightened by, uncomfortable with, or simply too young for certain story elements, then you may edit these elements out of a text before printing it. We needn't be afraid to customize our children's books when we deem it necessary. Our own children's welfare is far more important than critics who would cry censorship over the simple act of editing a homemade book for a sensitive child.
Another
quality found in older books is that they were written at a time when
God and the Bible were an assumed part Morality in most older books is based firmly upon the Holy Inspired Scriptures. Heroes and heroines in these books, both fictional and historical, often quote bible verses and refer to bible stories. Qualities such as honesty, cooperation, perseverance in times of trouble, respecting one's elders, forgiving others, and being kind to one's siblings are encouraged and rewarded. We see characters struggle with everyday temptations; then we discover how they overcome their situations and rise above their carnal nature. What a refreshing change this is compared to modern literature. I want my children to have good examples of moral behavior. I want them to read books that show the consequences of immorality on a level that they can grasp, remember and ponder in their quiet moments. These books give children something to aspire to as they grow older and set standards that will be remembered for the rest of their lives. If I limited myself to recently published books for my children's education I'm afraid that I would have to look long and hard to find modern equivalents with similar moral standards.
Additionally,
I've found that teaching children from these types of materials
brings balance to their fast paced lives. Today's children are
exposed to more technology than we even dreamed of 10 or 20 years
ago. With virtual reality, computerized gadgets, cable
television and video games, children are tempted to see the world
through a technological filter. A final benefit to old books is that when they have been around long enough to make it into the public domain today, then one can bet that they are books worth reading. Simply put, poorly written books do not stand the test of time. As less worthy reading material is sifted out, worthy specimens rise to the top. These books represent the cream of the crop. They stand ready to educate, inform, enlighten, even anger and confound a brand new generation. The books may old, but the information they impart and the stories they tell are timeless.
1. Grammar School or Grammar Grades in America refer to the grade levels from Kindergarten (usually ages 5-6) or 1st grade (ages 6-7) up to 8th Grade (ages 13-14). Sometimes these are called the primary grades. High School or Secondary Schools refer to grades 9 (age 14-15) through 12 (age 17-18). For more information about American grade levels click here. 2. The books are arranged in categories. For navigation purposes, categories are listed alphabetically on the left hand side of the screen. Some, not all, of the books have general reading levels appearing below the book title. They are listed by grade and are only meant as a guide. These reading levels are not written in stone. You know your children better than anyone else, so use your best judgement. 3. Most of the texts appearing here are from the Gutenberg Project. Almost everything from their site is public domain and may be downloaded, printed and used as desired. Books on some of the other sites may be viewable by page or chapter, but may not have full text versions available. For help with these sites see Printing Tips. 4. I have not been able to read every word in every book that is listed on this site. There will probably be a few that are not appropriate for all children. Remember to preview books before allowing your children to chow down whole hog. Nothing can replace the ever watchful eye of a concerned parent. 5. Unless specifically stated to the contrary, everything hosted on this site is believed to be in the Public Domain, if anyone can prove otherwise please contact me and arrange to fax me the proof. When you follow links to other sites, please read and follow their copyright policies.Thanks & Enjoy --Miss Maggie . . . that the children will grow up to be fine young men who love the Lord and are able and willing to work in His Kingdom--Darthulia
Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Psalms
132:12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony
that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy
throne forevermore. |
