Educator Anna Boyd Ellington, one of three founding members of the Delta Gamma Fraternity.

Teachers are among the most community-minded individuals who work to improve the lives of citizens in any community. One of these very hardworking teachers is Anna Boyd Ellington, one of three founders of the Delta Gamma Fraternity in the 1800’s.

Anna was born on January 22, 1856, in Kosciusko, Atlanta County, Mississippi. Her father was a member of the Mississippi State Legislature, and her mother was a schoolteacher. Anna taught in public schools until her marriage to Daniel W. Ellington.

In 1873, Anna and two of her colleagues founded the Delta Gamma Fraternity at the Lewis School for Girls in Oxford, Mississippi. These three educators worked tirelessly to promote among their students a sense of high ideals and standards, intellectual growth, and community service. They chose as their motto “Do Good.”

The Delta Gamma fraternity still exists today. Now an international organization, membership has grown to more than 250,000 women worldwide, with 151 collegiate chapters and more than 200 alumnae groups across the United States and Canada. Members continue to place strong emphasis on personal values and standards, academic excellence, leadership, and service.

This chalkboard champion passed away on August 12, 1907. She was only 51 years old.