De La Salle Fifth Reader

In Short

Compiled by the Christian Brothers as an educational text for Catholic school pupils, this anthology brings together classic poetry, historical sketches, parable-like short stories, and biography. The selections guide students through literary appreciation while instilling moral discipline, reverence, and patriotic pride. Through accounts of historical leaders like George Washington, folk-style tales, biblical narratives, and reflective verses, the volume offers structured reading practice paired with vocabulary exercises and moral gem quotations. It has endured as an authentic artifact of early American parochial education, illustrating how character formation and literary instruction were once seamlessly integrated.

The Story

The reader opens with a explicit educational directive from its compilers, outlining a threefold method of child development: observation, thought, and expression. From this instructional foundation, the volume launches into a wide-ranging tapestry of narrative and verse designed to elevate the mind and heart. Early selections depict moments of quiet shelter and unexpected aid, such as Christopher Columbus finding refuge and counsel at the Palos convent gate before his monumental voyage. Fictional fables follow, including the tale of a delicate fern seed nurtured near a humble cottage, where its growth inspires a troubled, heavy-drinking blacksmith and his family toward a cleaner, kinder household life.

As the text progresses, biblical histories and religious reflections deepen the focus on faith. The narrative of Jesus attending the marriage at Cana highlights the sanctification of everyday human bonds and the intercession of Mary, while reflective poems by Cardinal Newman explore the lifelong presence of spiritual guardians during times of youthful rebellion, trial, and eventual death. Interspersed with these religious themes are gentle lessons in earthly morality and social duty. A story of a poor, hungry boy buying bread reveals how his simple desire for a singing cricket—a symbol of good luck—awakens compassion in those around him, ultimately offering relief to his widowed mother's financial distress. Other prose pieces use domestic dialogue, such as a grandfather teaching his grandson Norman about fairness, to show that true justice requires fitting burdens to an individual's strength.

In its central movement, the reader contrasts worldly ambition with eternal truths. The parable of the monk Urban describes a man who follows a singing nightingale into the forest for what seems like three minutes, only to return to his monastery three hundred years later, having been granted a brief foretaste of eternity. Practical essays warn against wasting precious minutes, likening time to an auction where every moment is "going, going, gone." Moving tales of sacrifice appear alongside holiday reflections, including Charles Dickens's portrait of the Cratchit family celebrating Christmas with Tiny Tim's gentle optimism, and Hans Christian Andersen's parable of the Pen and Inkstand arguing over who deserves credit for the poet's masterpiece, reminding readers that humans are merely instruments of the Almighty.

In its final chapters, the volume turns decisively to historical role models and patriotic duty. Biographies detail George Washington's lifelong filial obedience to his mother, illustrating how learning to obey formed the foundation of his leadership. Maritime history comes alive in the exploits of Commodore Jack Barry, the "half Irishman and half Yankee" who commanded the Alliance to victory and established the early American Navy. The anthology concludes with biographical sketches of prominent literary figures—including John Greenleaf Whittier and Cardinal Wiseman—leaving the reader with a final synthesis of literary craft, civic devotion, and moral purpose.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Christopher Columbus arrives exhausted at a convent gate in Palos with his young child, seeking bread and shelter. The welcoming prior recognizes the greatness of the traveler's ambition, offering protection for the child so the explorer may carry his message to the royal throne.

Nature and redemption A tiny fern seed is trodden into the soil by a human foot near a dilapidated cottage. As the plant grows, its delicate beauty catches the eyes of two impoverished children and their troubled father, serving as a gentle catalyst for order and domestic warmth.

Miracles and spiritual bonds Jesus and His mother attend the wedding feast at Cana, where Mary notices the supply of wine has failed. Her quiet intervention leads to the first public miracle, establishing a pattern of divine care within human celebrations.

Lessons in fairness and time A grandfather walks his grandson through logical puzzles regarding how to divide cakes and assign work loads, teaching him that equity means adapting expectations to each person's strength. Meanwhile, an essayist warns readers that life is an unrelenting auction where hours slip away unasked.

The song of eternity Enchanted by a singing bird, the monk Urban wanders beyond his cloister for three minutes, only to find three hundred years have passed upon his return. Confronted by a changed world and his own silvery beard, he realizes he has glimpsed the mystery of eternity.

Instruments of a higher power A quill pen and an inkstand bicker endlessly over which one created a beautiful piece of literature. The poet ignores their vanity, writing a parable that reminds all artists and scholars that they are merely tools guided by the Creator.

Duty, mother, and country Historical accounts highlight George Washington's strict obedience to his mother and Commodore Jack Barry's brave naval battles aboard the Alliance. These historical profiles frame personal discipline and patriotism as the ultimate expressions of character.

The People

Christopher Columbus A weary, white-haired traveler who arrives at a convent gate seeking food for his child. He harbors vast dreams of ocean exploration, requiring the temporary shelter of the church and the financial backing of the Spanish court to realize his historic mission.

The Prior of Palos A wise and hospitable monk who opens the convent gates to the destitute Columbus. He offers to care for the young boy, providing the encouragement and sanctuary that allow the explorer to pursue his royal audience.

The Little Boy and the Baker's Wife An impoverished child whose father has died seeks to buy bread for his struggling mother. Fascinated by the chirping of crickets in the bakery oven, he asks for one as a token of good luck, prompting the baker's wife and a bystander to step in and relieve his mother's debts.

The Monk Urban A pious librarian who seeks to understand the nature of eternity. Entranced by the song of a forest bird, he steps away from his monastery, only to return three centuries later to learn that earthly time is a mere fraction of divine reality.

George Washington The Revolutionary War hero and nation's leader who maintains a lifelong habit of filial reverence. Trained from childhood in systematic labor and strict obedience by his mother, his calm leadership in public affairs stems directly from his early domestic discipline.

Commodore Jack Barry A brave, fiercely loyal naval commander who proudly identifies as "half Irishman and half Yankee." He leads the frigate Alliance to victory against English warships and devotes his legacy to supporting orphaned children.

In Its Own Voice

"He took them in, he gave them food; / The traveler's dreams he heard; / And fast the midnight moments flew."

Columbus finds refuge and an attentive audience at the convent gate in Palos.

"There is no calling out of terms, no noisy auctioneer, no hammer; but nevertheless, the time is 'going! going! gone!'"

An essayist reflects on how rapidly youth fades and how easily precious hours are lost forever.

"We are only the instruments which the Almighty uses: to Him alone be the honor! We have nothing of which we should be proud."

A poet writes down a humbling truth after overhearing his pen and inkstand argue over who authored his work.

What It's Really About

Underneath its varied genres, the anthology argues that education is fundamentally a moral enterprise rather than a simple accumulation of facts. It asserts that intellectual development—reading, writing, and logical thought—must be rooted in spiritual discipline, filial respect, and selfless charity. Through historical anecdotes and religious stories, the volume demonstrates that individual greatness is measured by obedience to duty, whether that duty involves a general serving his country, a child honoring a mother, or an artist acknowledging a higher creator. It constantly presses the reader to recognize the brevity of human existence, urging them to capture time before it slips away and to treat every neighbor with quiet kindness.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers will appreciate this text as an illuminating window into nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American education, specifically the Catholic parochial tradition. It offers a nostalgic, highly structured approach to reading that values memory work, explicit vocabulary building, and sentence construction alongside literary appreciation. Readers who enjoy classic Victorian prose, traditional moral fables, and patriotic history will find much to admire in its clear, confident tone.

The reading experience requires adjusting to period conventions, including didactic moralizing, archaic poetic diction, and occasional nineteenth-century dialect in folk songs. However, the anthology's earnest conviction and clear, dignified prose offer a refreshing contrast to modern instructional texts. What remains with the reader is a sense of an educational era that viewed literature, faith, and character as inseparable parts of a single, noble life.