The Guardian of Education was the first successful periodical dedicated to reviewing children's literature in Britain. It was edited by eighteenth-century educationalist, children's author, and Sunday School advocate Sarah Trimmer and was published from June 1802 until September 1806 by J. Hatchard and F. C. and J. Rivington. The journal offered child-rearing advice and assessments of contemporary educational theories and Trimmer even proffered her own educational theory after evaluating the major works of the day. Fearing the influence of French revolutionary ideals, particularly those of philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Trimmer emphasized orthodox Anglicanism and encouraged the perpetuation of the contemporary social and political order. Despite her conservatism, however, she agreed with Rousseau and other progressive educational reformers on many issues, such as the damaging effects of rote learning and the irrationalism of fairy tales. The Guardian of Education was the first periodical to review children's books seriously and with a distinctive set of criteria. Trimmer's reviews were carefully thought out; they influenced publishers and authors to alter the content of their books, helped to define the new genre of children's literature, and greatly affected the sales of children's books.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guardian_of_Education

_________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1521:

Pope Leo X issued the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem, excommunicating Martin Luther from the Roman Catholic Church after Luther refused to retract 41 of his 95 theses. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_X)

1749:

Benning Wentworth, Governor of the New Hampshire Colony, began to issue the New Hampshire Grants on land which was also claimed by New York, and is now Vermont. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire_Grants)

1848:

Joseph Jenkins Roberts began his term as the first President of Liberia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Jenkins_Roberts)

1888:

The 91-cm refracting telescope at the Lick Observatory near San Jose, California, USA, at the time the largest telescope in the world, was used for the first time. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lick_Observatory)

1959:

The Alaska Territory, an organized incorporated territory of the United States, became the 49th state of the union, and the first U.S. state outside of the 48 contiguous states. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Territory)

_______________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

reminisce (v) 1. To recall the past in a private moment, often fondly or nostalgically. 2. To talk or write about memories of the past, especially pleasant memories. (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reminisce)

______________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. --"Gandalf" in The Lord of the Rings : The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien)