Ann Wager was a 17th-century school mistress who taught at Bray School located in Colonial Williamsburg, pictured above. Photo Credit: Ben Franklin’s World
In this country, an emphasis on the importance of education and recognition for the essential role of dedicated and hardworking teachers goes way back to our very beginnings. One of these early teachers was Ann Wager, a 17th-century school mistress who taught in Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg.
Ann Wager was born in 1716. As a young girl, she was educated by her father, despite her mother’s resistance to the idea. Ann’s mother believed it was not proper for a young woman to learn or to support herself. When she came of age, Ann married William Wager of Williamsburg, and the couple lived with their children in colonial Williamsburg. After her husband’s passing in 1748, Ann was faced with the necessity of earning a living.
As a widow, Ann inaugurated her career as an educator when she accepted a position as tutor and governess to the white children of Carter Burrell of the Carter’s Grove Plantation in Williamsburg. She held this position for two years.
In 1760 Ann was hired to teach school in the Williamsburg Bray School. This move was in response to Ben Franklin’s recommendation that the town establish a school “for the instruction of Negro Children in the Principles of the Christian religion.” The Bray school was the first school established in the colony of Virginia for African American students, which was not at that time illegal. For her work as a school mistress, Bray Charities Association paid her the salary of £20 per year, plus housing. Each year, between 20 and 30 boys and girls aged three to ten years of age were enrolled in the school, where Ann taught Anglican religious doctrine, reading, spelling, grammar, writing, and general deportment. In addition, girls were taught knitting and sewing. Ann taught lessons seven days a week.
Ann taught school in Williamsburg for 14 years. Over that period of time, she taught nearly 400 students. Even when her health began to fail, she continued to teach until her passing on Aug. 20, 1774.
To read more about this colonial Chalkboard Champion, see this article written about her in History of American Women.