author

Charles K. (Charles Knapp) Dillaway

1804–1889

A Boston schoolmaster and classical writer, he created practical books that helped 19th-century students approach Rome, mythology, and public speaking. His work also preserved local history, especially the story of Roxbury’s early grammar school.

1 Audiobook

Roman Antiquities, and Ancient Mythology For Classical Schools (2nd ed)

Roman Antiquities, and Ancient Mythology For Classical Schools (2nd ed)

by Charles K. (Charles Knapp) Dillaway

About the author

Charles K. Dillaway (Charles Knapp Dillaway, 1804–1889) was an American educator and author closely associated with Boston’s classical education world. Records available online identify him as a principal of Boston’s Public Latin School, and surviving archival listings show that he also left behind a body of correspondence and papers.

His published work shows two clear strengths: teaching and scholarship. Online library and catalog records list The Classical Speaker (1830), Roman Antiquities and Ancient Mythology; for Classical Schools (1831/1833), and a long series of edited classical texts by authors such as Cicero, Tacitus, Plautus, Terence, and Quintilian. These books suggest a writer focused on making the ancient world usable in the classroom rather than distant or purely academic.

Dillaway also turned to local history. His A History of the Grammar School, or, "The Free Schoole of 1645 in Roxburie" (1860) reflects a deep interest in the institutions that shaped New England learning. Taken together, his books paint a picture of a careful teacher-editor: someone committed both to classical study and to preserving the educational history of his community.