Robinson's Progessive Primary Arithmetic for Primary Classes in Public and Private Schools by Horatio Nelson Robinson

Robinson’s Progressive Primary Arithmetic for Primary Classes in Public and Private Schools is part of Robinson’s Series of Mathematics, and contains simple lessons for young children on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and fractions. The lessons consist largely of word and practical problems, some with illustrations, and include material on currency and measurements. The book is 80 pages with a tan front cover that has a black and white illustration of a girl reading and a boy playing with numbered cards, while their mother watches over them. The back cover lists other textbooks in the American Educational Series for "schools and colleges" by the same publisher.

The creator of this series was Horatio Nelson Robinson (1806-1867), mathematician. He attended common school as a child; at age 16 he did the astronomical calculations for an almanac. He attended the College of New Jersey at Princeton at age 19, and then became a professor of mathematics at the Naval Academy. Robinson wrote his first math textbook in 1847 and followed it up with numerous other textbooks. He received an honorary A.M. degree from the College of New Jersey at Princeton in 1836.

Daniel W. Fish (1820-1899), was the prolific editor of this text and numerous others on arithmetic for primary school students and teachers alike.

This volume was published by Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co. in 1873. Founder Henry Ivison (1808-1884) was one of the pioneers of the schoolbook industry in America. The business he established in New York City grew and prospered under several partnerships, with the name of Ivison always at the head of the firm. Intense competition in the American textbook industry caused several of the leading publishing houses to join forces. In 1890, the consolidation of Ivison, Blakeman and Co., Van Antwerp, Bragg and Co., A.S. Barnes & Co., and D. Appleton and Co. resulted in the creation of a new corporation known as the American Book Company.

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