OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 80 ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 July 3, 2006 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid-Bits - Part 80 by Darlene E. Kelley notes by S. Kelly +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid-Bits - Part 80. Ohio Education in the Early days In the early 1800's education in America grew and developed rapidly, as did soon in Ohio. It was largely because of the works of three very important men: Noah Webster, William McGuffey, and Horace Mann. These three men were catalysts for the growth of education throughout the ninteenth century, and without them the large strides America took during this time would not have occurred. These great men all shared one goal; to educate the youth of America as well as possible. This was no small task, however, because the educational system in place was disorganized and had several large problems that had to be overcome. The task of correcting the many problems hat faced education in the early century required the genius of many men to correct. Perhaps the largest problem facing early American and Ohio schools was the lack of training undergone by the teachers of the time. Teachers were often untrained and unprepared, acting as babysitters and less as instructors. School houses also posed a problem; many were small and overcrowded, with no desks and little to no teaching materials. One very large problem noticed particularly by Noah Webster was the fact that all textbooks originated in England. America was still feeling a need from separation from England at this time, and teaching the American youth with English materials was not helping in the strive for true independence. These problems with the educational system proved to be difficult to correct, and some of them are still faced by boards of education today. The man with the greatest influence on modern language and spelling was Noah Webster. Finding fault in the use of English textbooks in Ohio schools and other American communities, he set out and wrote his own fully American Textbook and was published in 1828. Grammatical Institute of the English Language was the first textbook written specifically for Americans, and it was very influential with students across the country. The book was such a success that it was used in class rooms for almost one hunded years. Noah Webster's greatest accomplishments was writing the first truly American dictionary. The book took more than 27 years to complete, and among the nearly 70.000 words featured in it were truly American words, such as skunk and chowder. This book was the work of a lifetime for Webster, and his name is now nearly synonymous with any modern American dictionary. Another contributor to spread the American educational tools was Willaim McGuffey, author of the widely spread series," Peerless Pioneer Readers. " Known as McGuffeys Readers. William Holmes McGuffey was born near Claysville, Pennsylvania about 1800 and died in 1873. His textbooks were adopted and entered according to the Act of Congress in the year 1838 and was adopted for use by Truman and Smith, in the Clerk's Office for the district Court of Ohio. These series of writings was used in every state of the Union and had a very obvious effect on students in American schools. Along with creating such influencial educational tools, McGuffey also taught at several prestigious institutions of higher learning, such as Ohio University and Miami University. With widespread influence caused not only his educational series but his teaching across the Midwest. it is no surprise that McGuffey is considered one of the insigators of the rapid improvement of the educational system. The McGuffey readers contained simple moral lessons and fables, poems, and extracts from American and English literature. The readers passed through many editions and were used in more than 37 states. The Goals of the readers was (1) articulate speaking and fluent oral reading, (II ) reasoning with logic (III) speaking with wisdom and grace. -- At the grammer stage, they start with (1) phonics, (2) pronouncing the letters correctly in speaking, i.e. distinguishing "d";s and "t"'s, pronouncing the -ing sound at the end of words, etc. We work on (3) correct inflection when there is a ? or a ! as (4) reading with " feeling." (5) Around the fifth grade, short writing assignments for logic practice,(6) 8-10 grade includes both speech and debate practice, structuring your argumants with both logic and style. Completeing these goals requires a small recital support group meeting about twice a year. Later ...... participating in a science fair or talent night type exhibit ..... and eventually more of a speech/debate club. Every reader and exercise in the above also incuded practice and practice in perfecting penmanship, spelling, and diction. Cursive writing is introduced with simple sentences at first. The primer consists of 64 pages, and begins by presenting letters of the alphabet to be memorized, in sequence, then the children are taught, step by step to use the building blocks of their language to form and pronounce words. Each lesson begins with a study of words used in the reading exercise -- the words presented with markings to show correct pronounciation and syliabification. Cursive hand writing is introduced with simple sentences. The first (96pgs) and second ( 160 pgs ) Readers picture children in their realtionship with family, teacher, friends, and animals. Articulation and Punctuation are introduced. The Third reader ( 208 pgs ) expands this world. Art of Emphasis introduced. Dictionary definations introduced in ' bird reader ( also in Fourt reader.). The Fourth Reader ( 256 pgs ) begins with 1. Punctuation marks; 2. Articulation : 3. Accent and Inflection. Next come 90 selections written by a wide variety of authors from Daniel De Foe to Louisa M. Alcott. The Fifth Reader ( 352 pgs ) begins with 1. Articulation; 2. Inflection; 3. Accent; 4. Emphasis; 5. Modualation; 6. Poetic Pauses. Next come 117 writings also by a wide range of sources; The Bible, Dickens, Lowell, Cooper, to name a few. Continues dictionary definitions of words. Also special notes on geography, history, Up to now it has been how to read; The Fifth Reader turns the student to what to read. The Sixth Reader ( 463 pages ) begins with 1. Articulation; 2. Inflection; 3, Accent and Emphasis; 4. Instructions for reading verse; 5 The voice; 6. Gesture. This is followed by 138 selections from authors like Longfellow; Tennyson; Blackstone; Poe; Byron; Shakespeare; Jefferson; Bacon; Scott; Disraeli; samplings of the world's greatest literature. Provides biographical material about each author at beginning of each reading. McGuffey's Spelling Book ( 144 pgs) is divided into 248 lessons. It is really a phonics instruction book as well, though not as word family oriented as is Sam Blumenfeld's Alpha-Phonics. McGuffey's Speller has great spelling lists and is an ideal tool to use along with a phomics instruction program like Alpha-Phonics. There is a total of 1743 pages, in all eight books of this McGuffey series of textbooks. Everything you need along with Ray's Primary Arithmetic and Noah Webster's dictionay and your grammer school days are complete. Another man with great effect on the governments realtionship with schools in Ohio was Horace Mann. He was often called the Father of American Education. He wasn't evenly involved in education until he was elected to serve as Secretary of Education. Mann believed that all humans had the right to an education provided by the government, and he saw to it that government sat up a public school system for everyone to attend. He believed that education would solve all of American's social problems, such as a rift between upper and lower classes, and that an educational society would lead to social harmony. Mann was able to convert a disorganized system of schools into a well organized, government supported schools into an organized school sytem built to serve all American and Ohioan youth. Mann also created Libraries and placed a six month miniumum on school attendence for all children. The first school in Ohio opened in 1773 at Schoebrunn, near present day New Philadephia. It was set up for Indian Children by David Zeisberger, a Morovian Missionary. This school taught mostly biblical logics, and moral way of living along with language barriers between the Indians and the missionaries. Farming was their way of life and how to impliment the white mans culture into the Indian way of life. Ohio's Public School system began in 1825 and public high schools were authorized in 1853. During the nineteenth century Ohio colleges were being incorporated with Oberlin College established in 1833, and became the first College in the United States for both men and women. Horace Mann opened the Antioch Christian College near Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1851, and was its first President. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits continued in part 81.