I went to Catholic school. We were taught to read by phonics in 1961. The name of the book was “Breaking the Sound Barrier”. We learned how to sound out words. The reading scores at my grammar school left the public schools in the dust.
I went to Catholic school in the '50s, and we were taught to read by sight. I still remember my first reading lesson: the nun wrote the word "Look" on the board and pointed out that it had two big eyes. We learned to read quickly, and I have always since been fast reader. Unfortunately, without phonics, I never really learned to spell, and have been a poor speller all my life.
I attended Catholic School for 1st grade in 1970. Not sure if we used the same book, but I clearly remember a boy and a girl standing next to a Jetson's style flying saucer.