Short Stories for High Schools

This 1921 anthology was compiled for American high school students on the cusp of adulthood in the early twentieth century. Rather than presenting only the canon, the editors sought stories that would feel immediate to 1920s teenagers while demonstrating that contemporary literature deserved a place alongside the classics. The collection opens with a 'hunter of demons' from historical context, signaling the moral adventure and varied voices that follow. The preface reveals a modest, thoughtful purpose: not to dictate the greatest stories, but to help young readers develop taste and see that no divorce exists between classic and modern writing. For modern readers, this anthology serves as a time capsule of what American educators deemed worthy for developing minds nearly a century ago, and which tales they trusted could speak to adolescents finding their place in the world.