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Hannah Perkins Dodge was born in North Littleton, Massachusetts, on February 16, 1821. She dedicated her life to the education of young people, especially young women, and to philanthropic causes. Hannah taught as a young woman and attended Lawrence Academy and Townsend Female Academy. After graduating from the latter school, she became Townsend Female Academy's principal. In addition, she taught in Norfolk, Virginia, for a few months.
Seven years after beginning her tenure at Townsend, Hannah moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, to teach at Oread Collegiate Institute, a school for young women that had been founded by Eli Thayer in 1848. She served as Preceptress and later as Acting Principal, while also teaching Moral Philosophy and Mathematics. One of her colleagues at Oread was Elizabeth Grout Arms, a friend who, like Hannah, had previously taught at Townsend Female Academy. According to Rev. William Jacob Cloues, Hannah's advisors included Dr. Francis Wayland (Brown's President), Rev. Dr. Heman Lincoln Wayland (pastor of Worcester's Main St. Baptist Church), Dr. Edward Everett Hale (pastor of Worcester's Church of the Unity), and Hon. Isaac Davis (a lawyer and politician who served as Worcester's mayor).
In 1859, Hannah left Oread and spent a year traveling and studying in Europe. Upon her return in 1861, she opened her own school, Codman Hill Young Ladies' School, in Dorchester, Massachusetts. By 1868, Hannah's friend Elizabeth was living in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where her husband, Rev. Dr. Heman Lincoln Wayland, had become a professor at Kalamazoo College. Since Hannah moved to Michigan in 1868 to become Lady Principal at Kalamazoo College, it appears likely that Rev. Wayland had mentioned Hannah's talents to the college's leaders. Later, she returned to New England, serving in the same capacity at the co-ed New London Literary and Scientific Institution (later Colby Academy) in New London, New Hampshire.
While she officially retired in 1877, and returned to Littleton, Massachusetts, Hannah was not done giving back. In addition to being a philanthropist, she served as the superintendent of schools in Littleton, as a trustee of the Reuben Hoar Library, and as the president of the local Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
Hannah Perkins Dodge passed away in Littleton on January 11, 1896, and was buried in Westlawn Cemetery.
Seven years after beginning her tenure at Townsend, Hannah moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, to teach at Oread Collegiate Institute, a school for young women that had been founded by Eli Thayer in 1848. She served as Preceptress and later as Acting Principal, while also teaching Moral Philosophy and Mathematics. One of her colleagues at Oread was Elizabeth Grout Arms, a friend who, like Hannah, had previously taught at Townsend Female Academy. According to Rev. William Jacob Cloues, Hannah's advisors included Dr. Francis Wayland (Brown's President), Rev. Dr. Heman Lincoln Wayland (pastor of Worcester's Main St. Baptist Church), Dr. Edward Everett Hale (pastor of Worcester's Church of the Unity), and Hon. Isaac Davis (a lawyer and politician who served as Worcester's mayor).
In 1859, Hannah left Oread and spent a year traveling and studying in Europe. Upon her return in 1861, she opened her own school, Codman Hill Young Ladies' School, in Dorchester, Massachusetts. By 1868, Hannah's friend Elizabeth was living in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where her husband, Rev. Dr. Heman Lincoln Wayland, had become a professor at Kalamazoo College. Since Hannah moved to Michigan in 1868 to become Lady Principal at Kalamazoo College, it appears likely that Rev. Wayland had mentioned Hannah's talents to the college's leaders. Later, she returned to New England, serving in the same capacity at the co-ed New London Literary and Scientific Institution (later Colby Academy) in New London, New Hampshire.
While she officially retired in 1877, and returned to Littleton, Massachusetts, Hannah was not done giving back. In addition to being a philanthropist, she served as the superintendent of schools in Littleton, as a trustee of the Reuben Hoar Library, and as the president of the local Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
Hannah Perkins Dodge passed away in Littleton on January 11, 1896, and was buried in Westlawn Cemetery.
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Wright, Martha Burt. History of the Oread Collegiate Institute, Worcester, Mass. (1849-1881). With Biographical Sketches. New Haven: Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Company. p. 30-31. Detailed biographical sketch and images of Hannah Perkins Dodge.