Generations of Americans learned to read by working through McGuffey’s Readers. William Holmes McGuffey was born near Pittsburg, PA in 1800. His family soon moved to Ohio. McGuffey began his service as an educator at the age of 14! He was one of many “half-educated boys,” as they were referred to, who roamed the frontier looking for families who could pay to have their children learn the 3 Rs. By 1829 he had graduated from college and became a Presbyterian minister, as well as a college instructor.
His friend, Harriet Beecher Stowe recommended him to a Cincinnati publisher who was planning on putting out textbooks for elementary students. William created four Readers or Primers, as they were also called. His brother, Alexander McGuffey, wrote the last two readers. William H. McGuffey continued his life as an educator becoming a college president and lecturer. Over 120 million McGuffey Readers have been sold. In fact, they are still used by some homeschools as beginner textbooks.
The Countryman One Room Schoolhouse includes McGuffey’s in their lessons.
