Mary Sheldon Barnes

Mary Downing Sheldon Barnes September 15, 1850160 August 27, 1898 was an American educator and historian. Her teaching style and publications were considered ahead of their time. She used a method that encouraged students to develop their own research skills utilizing primary sources and their own problem solving skills. Sheldon was teacher of and major influence on author and socialist Anna Strunsky.

Mary Downing Sheldon was born in Oswego, New York, the oldest of five children, to Frances Stiles and Edward Austin Sheldon. Her father was the founder of the Oswego State Normal and Training School, known for its Pestalozzian principles. Her upbringing drastically deviated from traditional nineteenthcentury norms, as both her parents encouraged scholarly education and fostered her inquisitive spirit. Sheldon attended Oswego public schools and a dual program at Oswego Normal, graduating in 1869 as a certified teacher with specialized training in classical studies.

Source: Wikipedia