Anna Chapin Ray

Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, in 1865, Anna Chapin Ray went on to study at Smith College, earning both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. Early in life she also stood out as one of the first three women to take the Yale entrance exam.

She began publishing in the late 1880s and became a remarkably productive writer. Her work ranged from children's and young adult fiction to novels for adults, and many readers remember her for school and campus stories such as Teddy: Her Book, Half a Dozen Girls, and Ursula's Freshman.

Ray spent much of her career writing fiction that feels warm, observant, and approachable, often centered on everyday character and social life. She died in 1945, leaving behind a large body of popular fiction that still offers a vivid glimpse of its era.