[College of Teachers]

While Dr. McGuffey was still at Oxford, Ohio, he took part in the formation of probably the first extended Teachers’ Association formed in the West.  There had been a previous association of Cincinnati teachers organized for mutual aid and improvement.  This was about to be given up; but at their first anniversary on June 20, 1831, Mr. Albert Pickett, principal of a private school in Cincinnati, proposed a plan for organizing in one body the instructors in public and private schools and the friends of education.  Circulars were sent out and the first meeting of the College of Teachers was held October 3, 1832.  A great number of teachers from many states of the West and South attended these meetings and took part in the proceedings.  Throughout its continuance Dr. McGuffey took an active part in the work.  In the years 1832-1836 fifty-seven addresses were delivered to the College by thirty-nine speakers.  Of this number Dr. McGuffey prepared and delivered three.

[Topics Discussed]

The proceedings of the College of Teachers were published in annual pamphlets which together formed two large octavo volumes.  The topics which were then under discussion are best shown by the titles of a few of the addresses, with the name of the speaker and the year of delivery: 

On Introducing the Bible into Schools, Rev. B.P.  Aydelott, 1836; Importance of making the business of Teaching a Profession, Lyman Beecher, D.D., 1833; The Kind of Education Adapted to the West, Professor Bradford, 1833; Qualifications of Teachers, Mr. Mann Butler, 1832; Physical Education, Dr. Daniel Drake, 1833; On Popular Education, John P. Harrison, M.D., 1836; On the Study and Nature of Ancient Languages, A. Kinmont, 1832; On Common Schools, Samuel Lewis, Esq., 1835; On the Qualifications of Teachers, E.D.  Mansfield, Esq., 1836; Reciprocal Duties of Parents and Teachers, Rev. W.H.  McGuffey, A.M., 1835; General Duties of Teachers, Albert Pickett, 1835; Philosophy of the Human Mind, Bishop Purcell, 1836; Utility of Cabinets of Natural Science, Joseph Ray, 1836; Agriculture as a Branch of Education, Rev. E. Slack, 1836; Education of Emigrants, Professor Calvin Stowe, 1835; Best Method of Teaching Composition, D.L.  Talbott, 1835; Manual Labor in the Schools, Milo G. Williams.

Some of these topics are still engrossing the attention of teachers at their annual meetings for the discussion of live educational questions.

While Dr. McGuffey was at Oxford, teaching mental philosophy to the pupils in Miami University, he prepared the manuscript for the two lower readers of the graded series which bore his name.  To test his work while in progress, he collected in his own house a number of small children whom he taught to read by the use of his lessons.

It is evident that these readers were prepared at the solicitation of the publishers and on such a general plan as to number and size as was desired by the publishers.  Dr. McGuffey was selected by them as the most competent teacher known to them for the preparation of successful books.  He did not prepare the manuscripts and search for a publisher.