William Holmes McGuffey compiled the Eclectic Readers that became one of the best-known series of books in 19th century America. McGuffey was born in western Pennsylvania. In 1826, he graduated from Washington College and became a professor of ancient languages at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1829. In 1836, he was named president of Cincinnati College and helped found the Western Literary Institute, a group of private citizens who promoted public education; through this involvement, that same year he developed and published his first two Readers. They came to have a wide distribution and loyal following. The lessons in the books were interwoven with strong moral messages of piety, thrift, industry, and fairness. McGuffey continued producing his Readers until 1857, when the sixth was published. During these years he also served as president of Ohio University and as professor of natural and moral philosophy at the University of Virginia. Although McGuffey was never highly respected as a scholar, his teaching earned him the lifelong love and appreciation of his students.