B Y : O L I V I A A P O N T E
P E T E R M A J E T I C H
N I C O L E L U K L A N
A N D R E W M A R S H A L L

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Born September 28, 1800 in Washington County,
PA
In 1802 moved to the Youngstown area.
Taught in the local area, mostly in Poland, OH
Attended Greensburg Academy in Darlington, PA
He attended and graduated from Pennsylvania's
Washington College, later becoming an instructor there.
He was a traveling instructor in the Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania region.

 In 1827, McGuffey married Harriet Spinning.
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The couple had five children. Very little is known about the early lives of these children.
In 1829 McGuffey was ordained at Bethel Chapel as a minister in the Presbyterian Church.
He believed religion and education to be an essential element to a healthy society.
He loved children and what he did as a teacher.

 He was the first to have his spelling and grammar book for elementary level children published.
 the 1 st & 2 nd sets of books were published in 1836.
The 3 rd & 4th in 1837.
 A 5 th in 1844, 6 th was added in 1879.

 The readers were graded collections of didactic tales and excerpts from great books. McGuffey felt that young people should have an introduction to a wide variety of topics.
 The McGuffey Reader books became standard texts in most states.
 By 1925, nearly 122 million copies were sold.

 McGuffey listed questions after each story so that the students could be questioned about the story.
 He believed that if a teacher were to give instruction they must ask questions.
 He was also the first to suggest that students read aloud in the classroom.
 McGuffey’s main purpose was to improve the public schools’ way of educating children.

 Served as a professor at Miami University,
Cincinnati College, Ohio University in Athens,
Ohio, and Woodward College in Cincinnati (where he served as president).
 Fourth President of Ohio University, 1839-1843

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He ended his career as a Professor of Moral
Philosophy at the University of Virginia.
During the hard times of the Civil War and onward was known for his generosity among the poor and
African-Americans.
William McGuffey died in 1873, as a successful educator, lecturer and author.
McGuffey is remembered as a theological and conservative teacher who cared about children and their education.

 http://www.nps.gov/jeff/historyculture/upload/m cguffey.pdf
 http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/William_Hol mes_McGuffey.aspx
 http://www.ohio.edu/athens/history/people/mcg uffey.html