Education

Take Note

October 02, 2002 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The Schoolmaster’s House

William Holmes McGuffey, known as the “schoolmaster to the nation,” compiled the first edition of his famous readers in his home in Oxford, Ohio. After a two-year renovation, the 1833 Federal-style house reopened last month, offering history buffs a chance to step back in time.

The red-brick house, owned by the nearby Miami University of Ohio, where McGuffey taught ancient languages and moral philosophy, is a national historic landmark and museum. Along with various editions of his McGuffey Eclectic Readers, it contains the author’s desk—an octagonal table with eight drawers built by an Oxford craftsman.

Curator Betty Bach said McGuffey is believed to have sorted his writing materials into the drawers as he worked.

The set of books was first published in 1836. They are still in print: About 100,000 copies of the edition revised in 1879 sell each year, Ms. Bach said. The six readers and one speller carried a strong civic and moral message, owing in part to McGuffey’s training as a Presbyterian minister.

“A lot of the characteristics that we as Americans like to believe define us have been repeated over and over again in the McGuffeys,” Ms. Bach said. “We’re hardworking, cheerful, honest, friendly—really go-getters.”

McGuffey arrived at the brand-new Miami University of Ohio in 1826 and stayed for 11 years. The readers he compiled there, using previously published stories and some of his own tales, were the dominant textbook in 37 states from 1836 to 1920, with more than 122 million copies sold, Ms. Bach said. McGuffey, born in 1800, died in 1873.

The books were used to teach reading, spelling, and elocution, while delivering a strong dose of civics and religion. Later editions played down the religious messages as public educators became concerned about the separation of church and state.

Today, the first McGuffey readers remain popular with home schoolers, Ms. Bach said.

Since the work was completed in June, the museum has logged more than 900 visitors. At the dedication last month, the house was adorned with an Ohio historic marker, part of the state’s effort to celebrate its history in preparation for its bicentennial next year.

“They’re a wonderful guide for behavior,” Ms. Bach said of the readers. “They’re very dated, of course. But it still resonates.”

—Ann Bradley

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Equity & Diversity Webinar
Classroom Strategies for Building Equity and Student Confidence
Shape equity, confidence, and success for your middle school students. Join the discussion and Q&A for proven strategies.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Disrupting PD Day in Schools with Continuous Professional Learning Experiences
Hear how this NC School District achieved district-wide change by shifting from traditional PD days to year-long professional learning cycles
Content provided by BetterLesson
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: March 15, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: March 8, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 22, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 8, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
6 min read