Along with the development of Armenian schools in the United States, the need for Armenian-language textbooks also increased.

Educators had formed a general opinion that textbooks brought from abroad did not fully meet the educational and linguistic needs of Armenian-American children. For this reason, during the first half of the 20th century, local Armenian textbooks began to be created in the United States, adapted to the Armenian diaspora environment.

The collection preserved in the Mardigian Library shows that the authors of these textbooks paid great attention not only to linguistic content, but also to teaching methods, illustrations, and maintaining children’s interest.

The authors sought to create books that would be understandable and attractive for Armenian-American children.

One of the first important works was “Haykirk” by Goulenia Nazar, published in Boston in 1917. It was intended for children of Armenian origin and stood out for its simple and repetitive teaching method.

The author also paid special attention to the book’s design and printing quality so that learning would become enjoyable for children.

In 1929, H. K. Nikoghosyan’s “Petak” textbook series was published in New York, including stories, poems, songs, and theatrical performances.

The textbooks became widespread in Armenian schools and were republished several times.

In the 1930s, the “Hrazdan” textbook series compiled by Vardges and Armenuhi Aharonyan also played an important role in Armenian educational life.

These books were an attempt to build a bridge between the Armenian and American educational systems.

The authors took into account that the daily life of Armenian-American children differed from the rural environment of Armenia, and therefore included themes and images familiar to Armenian-American children.

During the same period, Armenak Barseghyan’s “Arpi” textbook was also published in Boston, applying modern pedagogical approaches.

In the book, reading and writing were taught simultaneously, while the material was structured from simple to complex.

These textbooks played an important role in preserving the mother tongue within Armenian-American communities.

They were not only educational materials, but also a means of preserving national identity, helping diaspora Armenian children maintain a connection with the Armenian language and culture.