And these were founts of pleasure, sparkling, sweet,
To which the neighboring schools invited were.
The purpose was in spelling them to beat;
And therein lay the honors striven for.
For those events the spelling book was learned
Complete, and bowls of midnight oil were burned.
’Twas wont for parents to pronounce at home
Words by the pages to their children then;
Until McGuffey’s text by heart was known—
By the whole household, even the hired men.