No Destination: William H. McGuffey

Site of McGuffey’s School, Paris, Ky.

Fewer names are better linked to American education than that of William McGuffey. His McGuffey Readers were sold from 1836 to 1960 selling at least 120 million copies. Born in Pennsylvania, McGuffey also attended Washington College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in western Pennsylvania. For a while, however, he suspended his studies (needing funds for college) and opened a private school in Paris, Ky where he taught from 1823-1826. [*, *] The school, located across the street from Duncan Tavern, was located on the site of the structure pictured above; historic marker #178 designates the site.