Administrative/Biographical History
Charles Henry Adams Wager, Professor of English and Head of the English Department at Oberlin College for 35 years, was born in Cohoes, New York on December 20, 1869. He was educated at Colgate Academy, Hamilton, New York, and Colgate University from which Wager graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1892. He immediately received the appointment of instructor in Latin at Colgate and chaired that academic department. After one year, he left for Yale University where he completed his Ph.D. in English in June, 1896.
Before joining the arts and sciences faculty of Oberlin College, Wager taught at Centre College, Danville, Kentucky and at Kenyon College, Ohio. In 1900, Wager’s long tenure in the English Department of Oberlin College was supplemented with service as Registrar from 1903-1905, and as Advisory Officer from 1905-1910.
Regarded as one of Oberlin’s greatest teachers, Wager’s breadth and depth of knowledge, excellent scholarship and accurate methods, combined with a rare ability to impart these abilities to others, endeared him to generations of students. He taught courses in the English Department relating to the classical world, the Italian Renaissance and Victorian England. Probably the most famous course he taught was “Classics in Translation” for which there was usually a long waiting list. Such was the popularity of his courses that he began the practice of limiting the size of his classes.
Wager did more than teach in the classroom. Because he seemed to understand young people and shared their doubts and aspirations with genuine interest, he acted as a mentor. He and Mrs. Wager (Annie Applegate, b. 7/281870, m. 8/18/1896, d. 8/10/1958) opened their home on W. College St. regularly to students who wished to share in his wise counsel, honest judgment and good will.
In addition, he wrote monthly articles for the Oberlin College Alumni Magazine. For Wager these pieces provided a continuing education opportunity for those no longer on campus. Some of these articles were published in a book To Whom It May Concern (1924).
His vocation was literature. His avocation was Italy and the Franciscan order. He never missed an opportunity to study in Italy during his vacations and sabbaticals. His personal Franciscan Library was considered one of the finest in the United States.
Colgate honored him in 1910 with an honorary Doctorate of Literature. He received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Oberlin at the time of his retirement in 1935, as well as the distinguished Service Award from the Oberlin College Alumni Association. The Wager Room in Carnegie Library honored him as well, and was used for years by the English Department for seminars.
Ill health forced his retirement in 1935. Following his death on July 1, 1939, he was buried in Westwood Cemetery after funeral services at Christ Episcopal Church. He and Mrs. Wager did not have children; their only known relations lived in Scotland.
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