Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-10
FOR THE IMMORTAL M'GUFFEY
Potential Mentor of the school
Approaches the Hall of
Fame.

William McGuffey. educator. heads the
latest list of nominees for the hall OF
fame.
1t is as potent as a magic carpet-that
three-line news item. Back you so in mem
DRY to the front bench where the reading
class used to sit when June days were
longer than they are now.
You are done with asking Med, how
far can you hop?" and urging up. up,
Lucy, for the sun is shining" You have
said goodby to the saving boy who never
wasted a bit of string and to the pry-
ing lad who opened the closet door and
pulled unexpected punishment down on
his head. In your hand is a much fin
gered "McGuffey" flower OF the "Eclec-
tic" series, full OF elegant extracts, in
prose and poetry"-4s0 pages of them
with "copious rules and rhetorical exer-
clsus." You are in the fifth reader,
How does the water come down at
Lodore?" That splashing, dashing cata-
ract'c ools the room, drowning out the sleepy
drone Of the flies. Teacher begins with
that because everybody likes 1t. Then the
scene switches to the highlands. You read
of the deadly feud" that "subsisted almost
from time immemorial between the fami-
lies OF Macpherson OF Bendearg and Grant
Of Cairn," and your blood boils again.
Further still you fare with the old Nc
Guffey as guide. At midnight in his
guarded tent the Turk lies dreaming of
the hour and you surprise his slumbers.
You visit the coliseum by moonlight and
buried Herculaneum and burning Sappro's
isles OF Greece. You cheer GodlilSe Hector
and his troops, tread the streets OF MiEpeh
with Jephthah's warriors. Not a bell is
heard as Sir John Moore's corse is hurried
to the ramparts
The old thrill comes back with the story
OF the eagle and its flight up up to the
crags with Hannah Lamond's BARN in its
talons. There was The Ambitious Youth
who cut his initials in the bridge, cutting,
climbing, 800 feet above the awful abyss
that awaits his almost certain fall" Keep
your eye 10 the top-don't look down"
shout the rescuers. Now he has caught
the rope-is recovered from the yawning
gulf OF eternity
McGuffey introduced Shakespeare and
you read OF potent, grave and reverend
seiEniors for the first time, sollloquized
with Hamlet, buried Caesar, saw the dread
moons that followed the death OF Prince
Arthur lamented with Wolsey, "a long
farewell to all my greatness" Scott led
you with Marmion to Surveys camp, by
the McGuffey magic. Goldsmith told the
story Of Nine Blaize. Addison showed you
his dream plain where every man brought
his most ~ rssted burden to exchange
for the worse--with his neighbor Patrick
Henry cautioned you that "lt is natural for
man to indulge in the illusions OF hope"
You shouted for Harry, England and st.
George" in one reading lesson and in an
other grew periodically hoarsS over Free
dom from her mountain height unfurling
her standard TO the air" Pope, Dryden,
Mrs. shourney southey, Mrs. Hemans and
the pilgrim fathers. Bryant with his Than
atopsis" DickeLs and his sick scholar, Tom
Hood and his telling pdnster's tale OF Ben
Battle. Reinzl haransuing the Romans
these were the people OF the world on the
reader class bench, and when you met them
later, what old friends Vney seemed!
But we must pause" says the honorable
gentleman"
The little old brown sehoolhouse is gone.
You cant ever so with bare lesged Tom
Hopkins 10 get a pail OF water from the
Andrews farmhouse again, OF pass the
water when 1t comes, or dig sweetfag down
BY the brook at recess or pick Dutchman'a
brooches in the woods back OF the school
house The old NAPLES are there, where
you climbed with your Iinner pail at noon
but you don't eat your lunch now out OF
tin pail up IN the top OF a maple tree.
Once you gave the stump OF your biggest
pickle to Jennie Thompson because she had
spilled ink on the fionv Of her new pink
slnghan apron and vinegar would taks
out ink and mother would soold so----
Yes, 1t il not only Mr., Addison. ,roa,niug
alone IN Westminster pbbey-and eonfidlng
his musings 10 the fifth reader class arc
erwald that finds his mind turning 10 the
days that are no mere. McGuffey in the
hall of fame? Who OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
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