On McGuffey's Readers

Abstract

McGuffey's "Eclectic Readers" were a pervasive educational influence for almost 100 years in America and over 122 million copies were published before their use began to decline in the 1920s. Originally the work of William Holmes McGuffey, born in 1800 and raised on the Ohio frontier, the first McGuffey's readers appeared in 1837: a primer, four readers, and a speller. The readers had pictures on every page and stories almost always had a moral and a connection to God. Eventually 6 graded readers were produced and revised frequently over the next 83 years; they have never actually gone out of print and, as of 1978, were still in use. McGuffey's readers helped standardize education, spelling, and language. Their success at helping to shape the morality, culture, and literacy of American children presents a fascinating and instructive lesson for today's educators. (CR)