美国语文读本的作者简介

威廉·H·麦加菲，美国著名教育家。1800年出生于宾夕法尼亚州，1826年毕业于华盛顿大学杰斐逊学院。在数十年教育生涯中，他曾担任过迈阿密大学语言学教授，俄亥俄大学校长。自1845年开始任弗吉尼亚大学道德哲学教授。他还帮助组建了俄亥俄州公立学校体系。早在19世纪初期，麦加菲就意识到，应该给那些孤独的垦荒者和欧洲***的后代提供普遍的教育，于是他利用自己作为演讲家与教育工作者的天赋，开始为孩子们编写系列教材。这套教材共7册，从学龄前至第6年级。他前后花费了20多年的时间才完成全套教材的编写。这套教材面世后就被美国很多学校选为课本。在75年间销量高达1.22亿，直到今天仍以各种版本流行于西方，被美国《出版周刊》评为“人类出版史上第三大畅销书”，对美国青年的心灵塑造与道德培养产生了史无前例的影响。WilliamHolmesMcGuffey(September23,1800–May4,1873)wasanAmericanprofessorandcollegepresidentwhoi***estknownforwritingtheMcGuffeyReaders,oneofthenation'sfirstandmostwidelyusedseriesoftextbooks.Itisestimatedthatatleast122millioncopiesofMcGuffeyReadersweresoldbetween1836and1960,placingitssalesinacategorywiththeBibleandWebster'sDictionary.Hewa***ornthesonofAlexanderandAnna(Holmes)McGuffeynearClaysvilleinWashingtonCounty,Pennsylvania,whichis45milessouthwestofPitt***urgh.In1802theMcGuffeyfamilymovedfurtheroutintothefrontieratTuscarawasCounty,Ohio.Heattendedcountryschool,andafterreceivingspecialinstructionatYoungstown,heattendedGreer***urgAcademyinDarlington,Pennsylvania.Afterwards,heattendedandgraduatedfromPennsylvania'sWashingtonCollege,wherehebecameaninstructor.HewasclosefriendswithWashingtonCollege'sPresidentAndrewWylieandlivedinWylie'shouseforatime;theyoftenwouldwalkthe3milestoWashingtonCollegetogether.McGuffey'shouseinOxfordMcGuffeyleftWashingtonCollegein1826tobecomeaprofessoratMiamiUniversityinOxford,Ohio.Ayearlaterin1827,hewasmarriedtoHarrietSpinningofDayton,Ohio,withwhomhehadfivechildren.In1829,hewasordainedatBethelChape***ministerinthePre***yterianChurch.ItwasinOxfordthathecreatedthemostimportantcontributionofhislife:TheMcGuffeyReaders.Hi***ookssoldover122millioncopies.Hewasveryfondofteachingandchildrenashegearedthebookstowardayoungeraudience.In1836,heleftMiamitobecomepresidentofCincinnatiCollege,wherehealsoservedasadistinguishedteacherandlecturer.HeleftCincinnatiin1839tobecomethe4thpresidentofOhioUniversity,whichheleftin1843tobecomepresidentofWoodwardCollege(reallyasecondaryschool)inCincinnati.In1845,McGuffeymovedtoCharlottesville,VirginiawherehebecameProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofVirginia.AyearafterhisfirstwifeHarrietdiedin1850,hemarriedMissLauraHoward,daughterofDeanHowardoftheUniversityofVirginia,in1851.McGuffeyi***uriedintheuniversityburialground,inCharlottesville,Virginia.TheSchoolofEducationatMiamiUniversityishousedinMcGuffeyHallwhichisnamedforhimandhishomeinOxfordisaNationalHistoricLandmarkofferingtoursonweekdays.