A comparison of the 1881 McGuffy's Readers to the 1836 original.
By Myron David and Walter Kenaston
The 1836 version published by MOTT MEDIA (telephone: 1-800-421-6645) comprises seven volumes (updates by the publisher, regarding modern punctuation and word usage, are noted in the preface pages):
Primer for Young Children
Primer
Progressive Speller
First through Fourth Readers
The 1881 version published by VAN NOSTRAND REINHOLD also comprises seven volumes:
Primer
First through Sixth Readers
It appears that an attempt has been made in the 1881 version of McGuffy's Readers to bring children out of a home learning environment to a school house by making more tutelage required by an adult to understand the beginning primers. Books are more dependent upon having a school teacher than a mother at home due to excessive questions by child for lack of questions to answer at end of lessons.
God is mentioned in a patronizing way to make a cursory reviewer believe the books have retained their Christian character, but the worshipful attitude in the original seems missing. Many fine illustrations are included to be pleasing to the eye - but this is a distraction from the lack of Christian and educational content of the books. There is an increase in poetry and in British writers, especially of Barristers, a decrease (or omission) of references to the fall of Babylon and other Bible stories (Jesus and blind man).
Notes on the 1836 original:
Primer for Young Children:
- Introduces alphabet: upper and lower case, and upper and lower case italics.
- Lessons start with pictures of single objects with the one word name.
- God mentioned in lessons XI, XIII, XVI, and XVIII (this last lesson tells who made everything).
Primer:
- Repeats alphabet: upper and lower case, lower case italicized.
- Simple lessons with pictures.
- Lessons XXXIV and XXXV tell about God.
- Lesson LXXX tells about an uncle giving the child a book for learning and the child wanting to learn to please uncle.
- Last lesson (LXXXVIII) about a bad boy not going to school until after looking at bees, streams, and cows.
First through Fourth Readers:
- Stories of Christian, moral, historical, and informative nature; each is followed by questions, list of potential errors, and a spelling and definition exercise.
Notes on the 1881 revision:
Primer:
- Introduces alphabet: upper and lower case.
- Simple lessons introduce new letters and words in story.
- Has writing (slate) exercises to scribe given cursive writing sentences.
- Lesson XXXVII gives cause to confuse Church building with school house.
- God mentioned in lessons LI and LII (last two).
First Reader:
- Repeats alphabet: upper and lower case, cursive upper and lower case, digits.
- Lesson XXXIII tells about children's adoration of U.S. flag.
- Lesson XLIV tells about children getting out of school at noon and playing.
- Lesson LXIII (last) attempts to instill a desire of being in school.
First through Sixth Readers:
- Lessons include a brief prefatory note about the author of the work.
- Lessons do not have questions, errors, or exercises, but do have definitions.
- Most Christian and historical stories replaced with others.