让孩子知道一些他们来到这世界之前就已经发生的事情； 　　带孩子走出以自我为中心、封闭在家的生活，这种生活显得过于重要，因为太贴近，就成为孩子们眼中的一切，使他们看不到外面的世界； 　　开阔孩子的眼界，拓宽他们的视野，将过去时代的历史画面展现在他们面前； 　　让他们熟悉历史上一些重大事件和伟人的名字，并把这些事和人在时间和空间上确定下来，作为将来系统学习的基础； 　　向孩子提供一份历史编年档案，并附有要览，这样他们今后学习历史就可以参照这份档案。 　　以上所述就是写这本世界历史故事的宗旨。 　　 --维吉尔·Ｍ·希利尔（卡尔佛特首任校长，本书作者） 　　To give the child some idea of what has gone on in the world before he arrived; 　　To take him out of his little self-centered, shut-in life, which looms so large because it is so close to his eyes; 　　To extend his horizon, broaden his view, and open up the visits down the ages past; 　　To acquaint him with some of the big events and great names and fix these in time and space as a basis for detailed study in the future; 　　To give him a chronological file with main guides, into which he can fit in its proper place all his further historical study- 　　Is the purpose of this first SURVEY OF THE WORLD'S HISTORY.