William H. McGuffey

Salutations fellow reformers. My name is William H. McGuffey. I am a well-educated man who not only attended Washington College, but was the president of two other colleges later in my life. Currently I am the chair of the Department of Moral Philosophy at the University of Virginia. You may have heard of my McGuffey’s Reader. These are the texts books I created that are used widely across the country in schools to teach children both educationally and morally. The lessons they learn in my books make them become better morally and ethically with lessons about stealing, alcohol, poverty, and others. These lessons I try to teach them are part of my goals as a reformer. In one of my readers a poor young boy discusses how his parents are "very good to save some of their money in order that I may learn to read and write." This portion of my reader is obviously referencing tax-supported public schools, which are among one of my reform goals. The messages I try to show to children in my readers reflect my personal moral beliefs and my reforming goals. Up to this point in my life I have created a very successful textbook, and will continue to spread my moral messages to the youth of our country.