Nietz, John A. The Evolution of American Secondary School Textbooks.

Rutland, VT: Tuttle Co., 1966.

Summary by Sarah K. Wilson

Chapter 1, Section 2: Literature

The ancient Greeks studied literature in connection with grammar and rhetoric in order to help students become better speakers (28). In the Renaissance, literature was studied as “The Humanities” in connection with grammar and rhetoric as well in order to a) aid public speaking and b) teach morality (28).

Literature study in the classroom as we know it today began in 1799, according to Nietz, and evolved in four stages (29). In the first stage, teachers presented classical readings (in the form of extracts) in composition and rhetoric books. Lindley Murray’s 1799 English Reader, McGuffey’s Readers, and John Pierpont’s American First Class Book (1823) all followed this format (29). In the second stage, high schools taught the history of literature including biographical information from the Greeks and Romans to the English and American authors (29). The third period stressed the use of “whole classic works” -- this stage lasted through 1900 (29). The fourth stage used anthologies (29).

The first literature books used in schools were written by European authors:

Dunlop, John. The History of Fiction. 1814.

___. History of Roman Literature. 1823.

___. Latin Anthology. 1838.

Scott, Sir Walter. Biographical and Critical Notices of Eminent Novelists. 1825.

Eschenberg, J.J. Handbuch der Classischen Literatur (Manual of Classical Literature). 1836. [Particularly used in college; perhaps used in high schools as well.]

Coleridge, Henry Nelson. Introduction to the Study of the Greek Classic Poets. 1842 Boston.

The first texts published by American authors dealt mostly with Greek and Roman classical authors, secondarily with English authors and a small number of American authors. American Writers General Literature Books:

Parley, Peter (S.G. Goodrich). Literature, Ancient and Modern, with Specimens. 1845. [This book included authors from a wide range of ethnicities.]

Rickard, Truman, and Hiram Orcutt. Class Book of Prose and Poetry. 1847.

Smith, William, and Henry Tuckerman. A Smaller History of English and American Literature. 1870. [Condensed version of Shaw’s; lives and works discussed; no extracts.]

Cathcart, George. Literary Reader. 1874. [Aimed to popularize English literature in schools.]

Backus, Truman F., and T.B. Shaw. Manual of English Literature. 1875. [Widely used in schools.]

Westlake, F. Willis. Common-School Literature - English and American. 1876. [Included English and American biographies and extracts and a section which Westlake called “a casket of thought gems.”]

Swineford, Harriet B. Literature for Beginners. 1883.

Trimble, Esther F. Handbook of Literature. 1882-1897.

___. A Short Course in Literature, English and American. 1883-1885.

English literature was a school subject in the 1870s when colleges began to require a credit of English literature for admission. Thus, the necessity for English LiteratureTextbooks:

Chambers, Robert. Cyclopaedia of English Literature. 1837.

Hart, John S. Class Book of Poetry. 1844.

Shaw, Thomas B. A Complete Manual of English Literature.

___. Outlines of English Literature. 1846.

Backus, Truman F. Shaw’s New History of English Literature. 1875.

Cleveland, Charles D. A Compendium of English Literature. 1847.

___. English Literature of the Nineteenth Century. 1852.

Spalding, William. The History of English Literature. 1853.

Reed, Henry. Lectures on English Literature. 1855.

Underwood, Francis H. A Handbook of English Literature. 1871.

Compee, Henry. English Literature. 1872.

Brooke, Augustus S. English Literature. 1879.

Pancoast, Henry. Representative English Literature. 1893.

___. An Introduction to English Literature. 1894.

In the 1880s American literature became a class subject both independently and with English literature. Some textbooks included only American authors; the first good text wasn’t published until 1872 (38):

Hart, John S. Class Book of (English) Poetry. 1844.

___. A Manual of American Literature. 1872.

Beers, Henry A. A Century of American Literature, 1776-1876. 1878.

___. An Outline Sketch of American Literature. 1887.

Richardson, Charles F. Primer of American Literature. 1878.

Smyth, Albert H. American Literature. 1889.

Painter, F. V. N. Introduction to American Literature. 1897.

In Mrs. Neel’s 1954 analysis of 44 English textbooks, she found that the texts aimed to (40):

- develop appreciation of great literature

- create enjoyment of literature

- build foundations for future study

- provide mental discipline

- trace literary changes

- “lear[n] to choose the best reading materials”

- provide a guide for the study of literature

Dunmire’s analysis of 66 American literature textbooks found that they aimed to (41):

- develop culture

- show the relationship of literature, life, and history

- provide enjoyment

- create critical thinking

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