The William Holmes McGuffey Statue & The First Lessons of the First Mcguffey Reader
Created by artist, Ernest Bruce Haswell, The William Holmes McGuffey Statue & The First Lessons of the First Mcguffey Reader, are two statues located on the same base located outside McGuffey Hall on Miami University's Campus. These Statues were unveiled to the public on June 1, 1941, and are dedicated to a famous professor at Miami University named, William Holmes Mcguffey William Holmes Mcguffey lived in the years 1800-1873. In 1826, he became a professor at Miami University. It was at Miami University that he wrote, The McGuffey Readers. The McGuffey Readers, was the first nationally used series of elementary level textbook. These books sold over one hundred and twenty two million copies between the years of 1836 and 1960. These books are widely known as William McGuffey’s most famous contribution to education during his life. The William Holmes Mcguffey Statue was a six thousand six hundred dollar project that was completed and dedicated on June 1st, 1941. This statue is an eight foot tall figurine of William Holmes Mcguffey, and is meant to represent William’s six foot tall stature times one and a half. The statue is cast in three eighths of an inch thick bronze. The plague with the statues information is also cast in three eighths of an inch thick bronze. The statue is placed on top of a polished granite shaft with a stone and cement foundation sunken three feet in to the ground. The First Lessons of the First Mcguffey Reader, is located on the base of the granite shaft. This project cost about one thousand dollars and was finished and dedicated on the same day as the rest of the statue. This statue is cast in bronze three eighths of an inch thick and depicts three small girls reading Mcguffey's book. The First Lessons of the First Mcguffey Reader, also features a bronze plaque cast in bronze of the same dimensions as The William Holmes Mcguffey Statue. The William Holmes McGuffey & The First Lessons of the First Mcguffey Reader have multiple donors, including: National Education Association, Teachers and Alumni, William Holmes McGuffey School senior class, Miami University 1836 and the McGuffey Society from various locations around the state of Ohio and the country including: West Virginia, Columbus, Greater Cleveland, Highland County, Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, Oxford, and Scioto County. On the date of March, 12, 1992, The William Holmes McGuffey & The First Lessons of the First Mcguffey Reader, were renovated. The renovation was paid for by donations from two Miami graduates named Robert, Miami class of 1953, and Nancy Hyde, Miami class of 1956.