The William McGuffey Reader

[lovely1]

I feel strongly that the school children of today should be required to have at least one of the William McGuffey Reader books to read each semester. I believe it was because of the McGuffey Reader that the generation of school children who grew up during the pioneer days had the moral stamina to win World War I and World War II. William McGuffey stated and I quote "Erase all thought and fear of God, and selfishness and sensuality will absorb the whole man." May God guide our school children.

Donna Herman

[vir doctus]

We've used them. They are not a magic formula for raising men of courage.

[Big Drew]

I feel strongly that the school children of today should be required to have at least one of the William McGuffey Reader books to read each semester. I believe it was because of the McGuffey Reader that the generation of school children who grew up during the pioneer days had the moral stamina to win World War I and World War II. William McGuffey stated and I quote "Erase all thought and fear of God, and selfishness and sensuality will absorb the whole man." May God guide our school children.

Donna Herman

Then, make sure they are a part of your home school curriculum. The general public will not embrace them.

[Safiel]

The 1879 edition of the McGuffey Readers are not nearly as overtly religious as the original McGuffey Readers. The original McGuffey's had a very dark Calvinistic worldview while the 1879 edition eliminates that and in addition contains much quality secular literature.

I used the 1879 McGuffeys when I was home schooling my own children and I definitely was not proceeding with a "religious" type home school. I think they are worthwhile literature for any home schooled student and they can be used as supplementary literature for public school students.

[djdudley]

What is the McGuffey Reader, never heard of it?

[Safiel]

What is the McGuffey Reader, never heard of it?

Actually, the McGuffey Readers. There are six volumes of the of the readers, plus a primer and a spelling book. The original set was written by William McGuffey in the 1830's. The series was completely revised and republished in 1879 and is still in use today.

http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a5671

That link will take you to the links to the full text of the McGuffey Readers free online. The .pdf version is best as it contains all the original illustrations as well as the text.

All three of my kids learned to read with McGuffey. Even today it is superior to most anything else for beginning reading. Also, it is not as overtly religious as most people tend to think, as long as you get the 1879 edition.

[pennysworth56]

Actually, the McGuffey Readers. There are six volumes of the of the readers, plus a primer and a spelling book. The original set was written by William McGuffey in the 1830's. The series was completely revised and republished in 1879 and is still in use today.

http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a5671

That link will take you to the links to the full text of the McGuffey Readers free online. The .pdf version is best as it contains all the original illustrations as well as the text.

All three of my kids learned to read with McGuffey. Even today it is superior to most anything else for beginning reading. Also, it is not as overtly religious as most people tend to think, as long as you get the 1879 edition.
Are there actual copies of the books in print?

Also would like to know what books to buy for granddaughters, to practice reading over the summer.
Especially books geared toward the history of the US. So they can learn the truth instead of what is taught in school. They are 4 and 6 years old.

Thanks for any help

penny

[vir doctus]

Are there actual copies of the books in print?

Also would like to know what books to buy for granddaughters, to practice reading over the summer.
Especially books geared toward the history of the US. So they can learn the truth instead of what is taught in school. They are 4 and 6 years old.

Thanks for any help

penny

Books on line or (some) available in print - you know what you are getting before you buy: http://www.mainlesson.com/main/displayarticle.php?article=feature

[pennysworth56]

Thank you for the link. It is just easier to have young kids read from a book than a pdf file on a computer screen.

penny

[Safiel]

Are there actual copies of the books in print?

Also would like to know what books to buy for granddaughters, to practice reading over the summer.
Especially books geared toward the history of the US. So they can learn the truth instead of what is taught in school. They are 4 and 6 years old.

Thanks for any help

penny

http://www.amazon.com/McGuffeys-Eclectic-Readers-William-McGuffey/dp/0471294284/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244951402&sr=8-1

That is a link to the boxed set <Primer thru Book 6> available at Amazon. Currently on sale for $37 which is $22 off the regular price of $59. Note that the speller must be purchased separately.

For some reason, Amazon does not have the 1879 McGuffey Speller, but it can be purchased at the Home School treasures site:

http://www.hstreasures.com/mcguffey.html

I will try to get you titles of some good history works.

[pennysworth56]

Thank you safiel, it is appreciated. I have been out of the loop as far as school for a long
time, that I do not really know where to start.
But these links will be a good start. Especially the one for home schoolers.

Some times I wish I did not have to work so I could teach my grand daughters myself.

penny

[Safiel]

A wonderful set of archaic books. Let us remember, they originally came with a fine stick, 2 feet long, made of Yew, to ensure proper focus of the students.

Much good literature is "Archaic." Plato. Shakespeare. Bible. The Odyssey. Etc. Etc. Etc.

I never had to use so much as a harsh word on my kids. I let their innate love of learning be their motivation.

All of them learned to read with McGuffey and went on to achieve reading proficiency well beyond what would be expected in public school.