1754-1783: Education: Publications

Anthony Benezet, A First Book for Children (Philadelphia: Printed by Joseph Crukshank, 1778)—an early American primer written by Benezet after almost forty years of teaching experience;

Benezet, The Pennsylvania Spelling Book, or Youth’s Friendly Instructor and Monitor (Philadelphia: Printed by Joseph Crukshank, 1776)—this book went through six editions until 1800; it was used for spelling and reading instruction as well as orthography and was intended especially for private instruction for families who lived in areas that were inaccessible to schools;

Benezet, Some Observations Relating to the Establishment of Schools (Philadelphia, 1778)—recommendations for attracting quality teachers;

Samuel Blair, An Account Of The College of New-Jersey. In which are Described the Methods of Governments, Modes of Instruction, Manner and Expences of Living in the Same, &c. with a Prospect of the College Neatly Engraved (Woodbridge, N.J.: Printed by James Parker, 1764);

Thomas Clap, The Annals or History of Yale-College, In New-Haven, In the Colony of Connecticut, From the First Founding Thereof, in the Year 1700, to the Year 1766; With an Appendix, Containing the Present State of the College, the Method of Instruction and Government, with the Officers, Benefactors and Graduates (New Haven: John Hotchkiss & B. Mecom, 1766);

Clap, An Essay On The Nature and Foundations of Moral Virtue And Obligations; Being A Short Introduction To The Study of Ethics; For the Use of the Students of Yale College (New Haven: B. Mecom, 1765);

Clap, The Religious Constitution of Colleges (New London, Conn.: Printed by T. Green, 1754)—Clap was president of Yale, and in this tract he explains that it is right that the only governing influence of the college should be Congregationalism;

The Countryman’s Lamentation On The Neglect Of A Proper Education Of Children: With an Address to the Inhabitants of New-Jersey (Philadelphia: Printed by W. Dunlap, 1762)—an allegorical tract;

Christopher Dock, Schul-Ordnung (Germantown, Pa.: Printed by Christopher Sauer, 1769)—a Mennonite schoolteacher, Dock completed this volume in 1750; it was the first book about school management published in America;

Germantown Academy, Certain Agreements And Concessions, Made Concluded and Agreed On By and Between the Contributors to a Sum of Money for Erecting and Establishing a School House and School in Germantown,... (Germantown, Pa.: Printed by Christopher Sauer, 1760);

John Mein, A Catalogue of Mein’s Circulating Library; Consisting of Above Twelve Hundred Volumes, in Most Branches of Polite Literature, Arts and Sciences... (Boston: Mein & Fleeming, 1765)—an example of several such catalogues that were printed at this time. Mein opened his circulating library on 31 October 1765 with about 1,200 volumes representing 700 titles and sold this catalogue for one shilling;

John Morgan, A Discourse upon the Institution of Medical Schools in America (Philadelphia: Printed by William Bradford, 1765)—a baccalaureate address of the 1765 commencement of the College of Philadelphia in which Morgan discusses the horrible state of the medical practice in America and proposes the establishment of a formal program of medical education. Today the address is known as the “charter” of medical education in America;

William Smith, A Brief History of the Rise and Progress of the Charitable Scheme, Carrying on by a Society of Noblemen and Gentlemen in London for the Relief and Instruction of Poor Germans, and Their Adjacent British Colonies in North-America... (Philadelphia: Printed by B. Franklin & D. Hall, 1755);

Smith, A General Idea of the College of Mirania: With a Sketch of the Method of Teaching Science and Religion, in the Several Classes: And Some Account of Its Size, Establishement and Buildings. Address’d More Immediately to the Consideration of the Trustees Nominated, by the Legislature, to Receive Proposals, &c. Relating to the Establishment of a College in the Province of New-York (New York: Printed by J. Parker & W. Weyman, 1753)—Mirania was a fictitious institution that embodied Smith’s ideas of what a college should be like; Smith used these ideas to design the curriculum for the College of Philadelphia;

Society of Friends. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Boarding School Committee, Some Observations Relating to the Establishment of Schools, Agreed to by the Committee, to be Laid for Consideration Before the Yearly Meeting (Philadelphia, 1778)—proposals of the committee signed by Anthony Benezet and Isaac Zane;

John Trumbull, The Progress of Dulness, Part First: Or the Rare Adventures of Tom Brainless; Shewing what His Father and Mother Said of Him; How He Went to College, and What He Learned There; How He Took His Degree, and Went to Keeping School; How Afterwards He Became a Great Man and Wore a Wig; And How Any Body Else May do the Same —The Like Never Before Published. Very Proper to be Kept in All Families... (New Haven, Conn.: Printed by Thomas and Samuel Green, 1772)—a satire in verse that makes fun of contemporary education as well as a criticism of classical education in favor of a more useful education;

Noah Webster, A Grammatical Institute, of the English Language. Comprising, an Easy, Concise, and Systematic Method of Education, Designed for the Use of English Schools in America. In Three Parts: Part I. Containing, a New and Accurate Standard of Pronunciation (Hartford, Conn.: Printed by Hudson & Goodwin for the author, 1783)—a spelling and pronunciation book. The first edition of five thousand copies sold out in one year, and by 1837 an estimated fifteen million copies had been printed. It was referred to as the “blue-backed speller” and rapidly replaced Thomas Dilworth’s A New Guide to the English Tongue (1770) in popularity; in 1778 the name was changed to An American Spelling Book;

Eleazar Wheelock, A Plain and Faithful Narrative of the Original Design, Rise, Progress and Present State Of the Indian Charity-School at Lebanon, in Connecticut (Boston: Printed by Richard & Samuel Draper, 1763)—the first edition was updated by eight successive narratives; it explained the history and purpose behind Moor’s Indian Charity School that Wheelock established in 1754 for the education of Indian boys and girls;

John Woolman, Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes: Recommended to the Professors of Christianity, of Every Denomination (Philadelphia: Printed by James Chattin, 1754)—a Quaker teacher opposed to slavery who proposed manumission and education for slaves; a second volume appeared in 1762.