Everybody looked sad; and Hauser had brought an old primer, thumbed at the edges, and he held it open on his knees with his great spectacles lying across the pages.

In what context the word 'old primer' is used here?

Dear student,

To participate in the last French lesson, to steep himself one last time in the beautiful language, he brought a primer (a book used in the elementary levels) and sat thumbing it on the edges.   
It being the last French lesson, the villagers had come to the school, to M. Hamel's class for the occasion. Hauser was an old man who was long past his school days, but the imminent prospect of having to give up on his beloved French language for German which was being imposed by the Nazi government, made him both nostalgic and patriotic.

Regards