Preface-Summary

PREFACE

The liberal use of pictures in the teaching of the young is now a commonplace in the educational system of every civilized country. It has been universally adopted with « infants », even the letters of the alphabet being presented to their budding intellects through the eye by means of illustrations associating each letter with some well-known object whose name it begins. And every Catholic will readily admit how the giving of sacred pictures to children excites their interest in holy things and creates and stimulates religious feeling in the little souls.

This being so, it was felt that although children's picture books inculcating religion or morality in one way or another were numerous enough, there was yet no Catechism extant in which an attempt was made to convey as large a part as possible of the teaching by the pictures themselves. It therefore occurred to the Managers of La Bonne Presse that they would be supplying a real and long-felt want if they brought out a Catechism with that special aim, so that the youngest or dullest learner migth at once have his interest aroused by the pictures and thus grasp and retain the instruction conveyed with a minimum of assistance from the teacher. The result was the publication of their Grand Catéehisme en Images containing sixty eigth chromolithographic plates 26 X 19 in. issued without any text at all.

For the production of these truly beautiful pictures it was necessary to employ the most competent artists and costly processes. Consequently a price had to be fixed which at once placed the work beyond the reach of the ordinary Catholic household, although, be it here parenthetically stated, the sales already approximate to close upon 20000. In view of the immediate success of the Grand Catéchisme, the publishers accordingly decided to issue the work in a very much cheaper form by reducing the size of the plates, printing them in plain black and inserting opposite each an explanatory text. This they have been able to issue, stitched between paper covers, at an extremely low figure.

In leaving themselves with so bare a margin for profit, the publishers relied on being able to recoup by a ready sale the very heavy expenses of the publication; and their confidence has been amply justified. The first edition appeared but 3 1/2 years ago and the book is already at its 200th. thousand! Without exaggeration a phenomenal success.

Encouraged by this success in France the publishers feel that the work may meet a similar want in other countries. Hence its presentation now in an English dress to the 28 million Catholics of the Bristish Empire and of the United States of N. America. It has already appeared in Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Japanese, Chinese, Tamil and Cinghalese, and is also in course of publication in Italian, Flemish and German.
THE PUBLISHERS. June 1912.

It was really an excellent idea on the part of the Managers of La Bonne Presse to bring out, in a somewhat reduced size and at a price within the compass of the most modest purse, their Catéchisme en Images, now so well-known for its pictures. Even thus reduced and cheapened, the pictures are most excellent and it is a matter both of surprise and delight to us that we can become possessors of these 70 pictures, together with the text, at so low a price. Petit Apôtre de Marie.

The long-honoured practice of teaching the Catechism with the help of pictures is daily extending on improved lines and promises to become universal. In this matter as in so many others the Publishing Firm of La Bonne Presse has taken a conspicuous part. The separately mounted Plates of their Grand Catéchisme en Images are effecting wonders among those who have the happiness to possess them. How much to be envied indeed are these fortunate possessors of this, the finest artistic collection of pictures of the sort! But not unmindful of the rest and duly commiserating them, even going beyond what these could have hoped for, the publishers have brought out a new edition of the Catechism which places it within reach of the most modest purse. They could not have produced any thing finer at this almost impossible price. What an immense service have they not rendered to teachers! And what a joyful shout must not so many thousands as little ones raise at the sight of these beautiful pictures of scenes taken from the Old and New Testaments and from Church history! Ami du Clergé.

The pictures of the Catechism received from La Bonne Presse have been shown here in our chapel and are understood by every one who looks at them. This method of explaining the Old and New Testaments is as good as a series of the most eloquent sermons. (A Jesuit Missionary writing from China.) _____________________