William Evarts Sheldon

Background

He was born on October 22, 1832 in Dorset, Vermont, United States, the son of Julius King and Harriet Newell (Sheldon) Sheldon. His earliest years were spent on his father's farm.

Education

After attending local district schools, in 1847 he entered Burr Seminary in Manchester, Vermont, where he remained for a year. In 1850 he reentered Burr Seminary, where he graduated in 1853.

Career

Sheldon earned his expenses by teaching during the winter quarter in West Rupert, Vermont. Apparently he undertook too much and so undermined his health that he was obliged to resign and seek a milder climate. From 1848 to 1850 he lived in Virginia and in 1849-50 taught school near Richmond.

Later he then matriculated at Middlebury College but withdrew to become principal of the high school in East Abington (later Rockland), Massachussets. Here he effected important reforms in methods of instruction and in administration, and succeeded in bringing about a reclassification and gradation of schools in the town. His achievements brought him many invitations to address teachers' institutes and societies.

In 1857 he was elected president of the Plymouth County Teachers' Association; in the same year in Philadelphia he helped to organize the National Teachers' Association, of which he was elected secretary. From 1858 to 1864 he was principal of the high school at West Newton and became increasingly active in improving conditions in public schools. He was president of the Middlesex County Teachers' Association, 1861-62, an editor of the Massachusetts Teacher, 1860-65, president of the Massachusetts Teachers' Association, 1862-64, and of the American Institute of Instruction, 1867.

As an organizing member in 1862 of the Society of Arts (one of the three divisions of the institution that became the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), he took an active part in the intellectual life of Boston. In 1864 he became principal of the Hancock School in Boston.

In 1867 he resigned to join the firm of Bailey, Jenkins, and Garrison, wool merchants of Boston, but this proved to be an unhappy adventure, from which he withdrew two years later to become principal of the Waltham Grammar School.

Somewhat later he became business manager of the Boston Daily News, and in 1875 he was appointed acting as advertising manager in Journal of Education, a position he held until the end of his life. He was also co-editor of the American Teacher from 1883 to 1887. He was secretary of the National Education Association in 1882-83 and 1885-86, and president in 1887. He published many articles on educational topics and gave numerous addresses before teachers' organizations.

He died in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

Achievements

• Throughout his professional life William Evarts Sheldon was nationally known as a leader of progressive educational movements and reforms. He helped to organize the National Teachers' Association, helped to establish the Journal of Education. The organization of the kindergarten department of the National Education Association was due chiefly to his efforts.

Views

He was an untiring advocate of Pestalozzian principles.

Connections

He married, July 30, 1854, Mary Ames Soule of East Abington, daughter of Josiah and Sophronia (Jenkins) Soule, who with a daughter survived him.

Father:

Julius King Sheldon

Mother:

Harriet Newell (Sheldon) Sheldon

Spouse:

Mary Ames Soule

father-in-law:

Josiah Soule

mother-in-law:

Sophronia (Jenkins) Soule