William Wallace Chandler was born in Randolph on this day in 1821. By the age of fifteen he had attracted the attention of the town due to a system he had devised to work on penmanship.

Chandler was asked to teach an evening class, and 38 people showed up! He taught children and many parents, as well. In addition to writing, Chandler taught his students how to make quality quill pens, and made them so well he was asked to teach every member of the Vermont Legislature the craft.

One legislator paid him 10 dollars for the lesson! Chandler received his higher education from Norwich Military Academy.

Image courtesy Men Of Vermont by Jacob G. Ullery in the collections of the Vermont Historical Society.