Pittsfield - Back In Time

This week's historic photograph captures Miss Hall's School at 492 Holmes Road in 1910—just one year after the institution moved to this Pittsfield location that remains its home today. The elegant estate, with its stately buildings and manicured grounds, represents a pivotal moment in the Berkshires' educational history.

A Visionary Founder

Miss Hall's School was founded in 1898 by Mira Hinsdale Hall, a Smith College graduate who recognized the need for quality secondary education for young women. At a time when opportunities for girls were limited, Hall established one of New England's first all-girls boarding schools, offering both general academic and college preparatory programs. Her vision was progressive for the era: she believed young women deserved the same rigorous education as their male counterparts.

Hall would lead the school for an impressive forty years, becoming nationally recognized as a progressive educator. Her dedication to her students and mission would be tested in 1923 when fire destroyed the entire estate visible in this photograph. Remarkably, at age sixty, she chose to rebuild rather than retire, constructing the Georgian-style building that still serves as the school's main structure today.

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A Legacy of Achievement

Over its 126-year history, Miss Hall's School has educated generations of accomplished women. Notable alumnae include Gina Rinehart, Executive Chairman of Hancock Prospecting and one of the world's most successful businesswomen, demonstrating the school's enduring commitment to preparing young women for leadership roles.

Today, Miss Hall's School continues to thrive as an independent boarding and day school for grades 9-12, maintaining its motto "Meus Honor Stat" (My Honor Stands). The institution that began with Mira Hall's vision in 1898 remains a cornerstone of Berkshire education, proving that her progressive ideals were built to last—quite literally—through fire and time.

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