A HISTORY
OF THE
McGUFFEY READERS.
William H. McGuffey
A HISTORY
OF THE
McGUFFEY READERS.
By
HENRY H. VAIL.
WITH THREE PORTRAITS.
THE BOOKISH BOOKS—IV.
New Edition.
CLEVELAND
THE BURROWS BROTHERS CO.
1911
Copyright, 1911, by Henry H. Vail.
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A History of the McGuffey Readers
THE BOOKS.
Before me are four small books roughly bound in boards, the sidescovered with paper. On the reverse of the title pages, two bear acopyright entry in the year 1836; the others were entered in 1837. Theyare the earliest editions of McGuffey's Eclectic Readers that have beenfound in a search lasting forty years.
They represent the first efforts in an educational and businessenterprise that has for three-quarters of a century called for the bestexertions of many skilled men, and in their several forms these bookshave taken a conspicuous part in the education of millions of thecitizens of this country.
But what interest can the history of the McGuffey Eclectic Readers haveto those who did not use these books in their school career? Their storydiffers from that of other readers since in successive forms, adjustedmore or less perfectly to the changing demands of the schools, theyattained a wider and more prolonged use than has been accorded to anyother series.
By custom and under sanction of law certain studies are pursued in thecommon schools of every state. Spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic,geography, history, grammar, civics and physiology are the subjectsusually taught. The school authorities select the textbooks which shallbe used in each subject. The readers are the only texts used in allschools affording opportunity for distinct ethical teaching. The historyof our country should give ideas of patriotism; the civics shouldcontain the primary notions of government; the physiologies shouldinstruct the pupils in the laws of health; but the reader should coverthe whole field of morals and manners and in language that will impresstheir teaching indelibly upon the mind of every pupil. While the chiefaim of the school readers must be to teach the child to apprehendthought from the printed page and