The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-09-30

The author who hoped for an extension Of
fame from having his verse or story quoted in
McGuffey early readers was doomed to disap-
pointment. 1--WE Are Seven" Wordsworths
charming verses are reprinted without the name
of the author being given. The indexes of the
first four books are free, too, from any names.
These are "McGuffey's Readers" and perhaps the
absence of any other name but "McGuffey'
added to their fame
Every little girl and boy in the eighties has
been told more than once by his fond but strict
parents: eff at first you don't succeed, try,
try again !" This poem in its entirety appears in
McGuffey's New Fourth Eclectic Reader Waste
not, want not' was good old proverb of those
days, and we who were taught at an early age
that it a sin to abstain from clicking the
plate clean" did not know then that this was
the title of little drama in McGuffeys Fourth
Reader Lazy Ned" "Meddlesome Matty," "a
Mothers Gift the Bible" Extract from the
Sermon on the Mount" are some of the other
well remembered titles.
The Fifth Reader boasts the title: "McGuf-
fey's New Fifth Eclectic Reader: Selected and
Original Exercises for Schools" Here we find old
friends: MAUD Muller" "Shylock, or the Pound
of Flesh" Effects of Gambling" which begins:
1.-The love of gambling steals, perhaps more
often than any other sin, with imperceptible
influence it's victim. It's first pretext is in
considerable, and falsely termed innocent play,
with no more than the gentle excitement neces-
sary to amusement. This plea, once INDUCED, is
but too often as the letting out of water The
interest imperceptibly grows Pride of superior
SKILL opportunity, avarice, and all the
whelming passions Of depraved natures, ally
themselves with the incipient and growing fond
ness. Dam and dixie are swept away. The vic
tim struggles in vain, and is borne down by the
uncontrolled current
''The Bible, the best of Classics" Religion
the only basis of society,"" "The Incorporate
Husband are the titles of other lessons, and
many of these articles are honored by the name
of the author in the index. That familiar poem
''The Spider and the Fly" is given in this read
er. Directions for Reading" are expounded and
rules for proper dction are stressed.
1t remains for the Sixth Reader to begin
with Principles of Education" which is con-
sidered under six heads:
1. Articulation.
g Infection
3. Accent and Emphasis.
4. Reading verse.
5. The voice
6. Gesture.
All faults to be remedied are meticulousl,
listed. Indeed, lessons in articulation start with
the second reader, and proper emphasis and
correct pronunciation stressed all through
the series.
ably most familiar with the Sixth Readers To
millions who live today, that work meant the
literary peak. 1t contained Hamets soliliquy
and 1.-THE Fall Of Cardinal Wosey," from "Hen-
~ VIII" SCOTS "Lochnvar" and .Marmion
and Douglas; Gray's Elegy; Macauey on "The
Impeachment of Warren Hastings; Tennyson's
'Enoch Arden; Poe's "The Raven; Longfel-
lows "Evangeline," and "a Psalm of Life"
The McGuffey Readers have had wide in
fuence They have been translated into many
languages. even the japanese. Their serious pur-
pose their kindly spirit, their high moral tone
doubtless made children of an older day better
men and women in our own time The sale of
them has made a fortune for their publishers
who estimate that 122,OOOOOO copies of the
readers have been sold. But the McGuffey
brothers did not profit much from that fact
for not long after the books were completed and
in general use in the school rooms of America
they sold the copyright to the publishers for
only 5000! But even If they did not receive much
financial reward. they have the reward of the
enduring affectionate remembrance of thousands
OF Americans whom they inspired to higher
things.
GO BY western Newspaper Union-)