Numbers, letters, learn to spell nouns, and books

Was browsing around the second hand book stores today and I came across this old Latin-English dictionary. It brought back loads of memories of getting ready for each new year of school and having to cover our books in paper. I never understood why we had to cover all our books in paper that would easily tear and make it really hard to find each book you wanted as they all looked the same, but then again I didn't really understand much when it came to school.