The Charlestown Female Seminary, dedicated to educating females, was instituted in 1831 by the First Baptist Church of Charlestown and chartered in 1833. This was one of the first boarding schools for girls in the state and almost the first in the country.
The seminary’s board of trustees included Rev. Henry Jackson as president and Rev. William Phillips as vice-president. Located on Union and Lawrence Streets, the seminary’s buildings included a Grecian architecture structure and a connected two-story building. By 1840, the seminary had a staff of eight teachers, including Dr. Albert J. Bellows, who lectured on anatomy, physiology, and hygiene. The school procured valuable philosophical apparatus, including an orrery, to enhance the education of its students. By this time, the seminary had produced 2,000 graduates, some of whom founded other flourishing female seminaries.
Two boarding houses were connected with the seminary. One was at 13 Austin Street, managed by some of the teachers, where board cost less than two dollars a week, including washing, fuel, and lights. The other boarding home was simpler and assisted by the ladies of the community, with board and tuition together not exceeding $1.50 a week.
Under the leadership of its first headmistress, Martha Whiting, the seminary provided education in various subjects and produced several distinguished graduates, including:
- Sophia B. Packard (1824-1891): Educator and co-founder of Spelman College.
- Mary Hayden Pike (1824-1908): Renowned author known for her works on abolition.
- Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe (1819-1906): Author famous for her letters depicting life in California during the Gold Rush.
- Ellen Harrington (dates unknown): Accomplished painter.
- Mary Livermore (1820-1905): Prominent figure in the women’s suffrage movement.
Whiting was not only a pioneer of female education in America but also engaged in missionary work among the poor Irish immigrants of Charlestown. She documented her experiences and efforts in her religious journal, highlighting her commitment to education and social work.
