History of Winsor

In 1886 Miss Mary Pickard Winsor started a six-month school in Boston for her aunt's daughter and friends. Miss Winsor, who had been teaching at her mother's school in Winchester, began with eight little girls in a private home on Beacon Hill. She quickly established a viable and growing school for girls, which bore her name, and began sending its graduates to college in 1895. She established the present structure of eight classes, grades 5-12, offering a ninth, graduate, year (which was discontinued many years ago).

Miss Winsor's School occupied a number of different locations on the Hill until a group of parents asked her to be the director of the school they intended to build. They hoped to secure for children in private schools "at least equivalent advantages given to those in the Public Schools, as to fire-proof construction, light, ventilation, and other sanitary arrangements." They formed a corporation in 1907, bought land on the Fenway, and hired the Boston architect R. Clipston Sturgis to build "the most perfect schoolhouse." It included a library, science laboratories, art studios, and a gymnasium and swimming tank. The students and alumnae insisted that the new school be named for Miss Winsor. President Eliot of Harvard, who was very supportive of the project, suggested the motto "A sound mind in a sound body."

In 1910 The Winsor School opened with 225 students. The lamp, which had been presented by the last class to graduate from Miss Winsor's School at 95-96 Beacon Street, came with them and still burns on opening day and at graduation. Miss Winsor continued as head of the school until 1922. She wanted to prepare women to be self-sufficient, indeed, self-supporting, and hoped they would be competent, responsible, and generous-minded. She left a very strong imprint on her school and showed continued interest in it until her death in 1950.

The school has expanded its facilities over the years, adding a full gymnasium in the 1920s, a science wing in the 1980s, expanding the library more than once, adding classrooms in the 1990s, and, most recently, a new dining hall, classrooms, laboratories, and faculty work space in 2004. There are now 420 students. Seven directors have led the school in its 118-year history, all women, all active and influential in the world of education.

“A Note from the Archivist

The Archives welcomes memorabilia of any kind, including reminiscences, written or oral. If you have something to share, please get in touch with me at (617) 912-1369 or jotte@winsor.edu.

With thanks,

Jane Hoeffel Otte ’57, P’84, ’86
Archivist”