The New Code, 1871. the Useful Knowledge Reading Books, Ed. by E.T. Stevens and C. Hole. 6 Boys' Standards

The New Code, 1871. The Useful Knowledge Reading Books, Ed. By E.T. Stevens And C. Hole. 6 Boys' Standards by Edward Thomas Stevens. This late nineteenth-century educational volume edited by Edward Thomas Stevens and Charles Hole collects two parallel series designed to teach reading and practical knowledge in elementary schools. The text presents introductory lessons and a broad curriculum—politics, geography, science, agriculture, industry—arranged to align with the Government's inspection requirements. The included standard VI "English Constitution" lessons explore Magna Charta, trial by jury, Parliament, and the Bill of Rights, then move through topics on reforms, education, and industrial progress, with a mixture of vocabulary, root words, and comprehension passages. The work aims to cultivate reading fluency while imparting useful knowledge for daily life and civic participation. Illustrated through historical outlines, case studies, and lists of contributors, it demonstrates the era's belief in education as a foundation for intelligent citizenship and economic development. It also notes statutory requirements such as two complete sets of books for inspection. Overall, The New Code is a window into Victorian-era educational philosophy: to read widely, to know how government works, and to understand how science and industry underpin everyday life.