Sanders’ Union Speller contains a series of exercises and rules on spelling and pronunciation. It presents an "orthography" or set of conventions for writing a language. It also contains numerous exercises on punctuation, pronunciation, synonyms, etc. It claims to be compatible with Webster's then-new American Dictionary. The section on Test Words is designed for use in the upper grades and for teachers' institutes.
The faded front cover features an illustration of a teacher and pupils in a classroom. The back cover advertises other books available in the American Educational Series. The front and back inside cover pages also list textbooks published in a variety of subjects. The inside cover pages also contain inscriptions by previous owners. It is 178 pages in length.
Charles W. Sanders (1805-1889) was a teacher and prolific author of several well-known series of children’s textbooks which bear his name. These include readers, spellers, primers, and grammars designed for both the primary and secondary grades. Sanders’ books became the standard and were adopted in all of New York State’s public schools. His textbooks were also published widely overseas.
Henry Ivison (1808-1884) was one of the pioneers of the school book industry in America. The business he established in Manhattan, New York grew and prospered under several partnerships, with the name of Ivison always at the head of the firm. When this textbook was published in 1869, the house was incorporated as Ivison, Phinney, Blakeman & Co. 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.