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Edith Hyde Fay, daughter of Charles E. and Caroline (Howe) Fay, was born on April 10, 1886 in Westboro, Massachusetts. She graduated from Chelsea High School and on September 10, 1903, entered Framingham State Normal School. At this point in her life, Fay’s address was listed as 28 Cottage Street, Chelsea, Massachusetts. Although Principal Whittemore admonished Fay about her low grades in reading, she was able to graduate from Framingham State Normal on June 28, 1905 as valedictorian of her class. At that time, the Graduation Register listed her address as Westboro c/o Mr. George H. Howe. Upon Graduation, Fay took a position as a primary school teacher in the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts. After two years there, Fay relocated and continued her teaching career in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. In 1909, she then moved to Winthrop, Massachusetts and taught in that town until her marriage to Frederick J. Hill in 1911. Together Fay and Hill had two daughters, Marion (b. 1914) and Carolyn (b. 1916). Edith Fay Hill died March 4, 1973 at the age of 87.
The papers of Edith Hyde Fay discuss the early 1900s and the 1960s. The bulk of these materials fall within her student years at Framingham Normal School [1903-1905]. Some of the material that falls within the scope of the papers are from the 1950s, when the Class of 1905 had its fiftieth reunion.
The papers of Fay contain photographs, a photo album, report cards, a commencement program, a job reference, a songbook, a printed memorial to Henry Whittemore, postcards of Framingham Normal School, poems and speeches from the Class of 1905’s fiftieth reunion and Fays’ address to the Class of 1905 alumnae in 1964.
The documents in this collection present a picture of student life at the turn of the century as well as the strong ties the alumnae maintained long after their graduation. Of particular note is the photograph album which shows the campus and surrounding community from 1903-1905. Included are pictures of Home for the Aged, Wells Hall, May Hall, Crocker Hall, Normal Hall, views from Assembly Hall and the top of Normal Hill, and interior views of the students’ rooms as well as snapshots of classmates. Also included are photographs of the Town Library, Edgell Grove Cemetery, professors, the old Academy, Gordon’s Bridge, the “Bridge of Sighs,” the class tree, the old tennis court, the basketball team, and graduation day.
Gift of Marion Hill Powell and Carolyn Hill Hodgdon, daughters of Edith Fay Hill, June 1985.
One Box (0.4 linear feet).
The papers are arranged chronologically in two groups: personal/biographical and photographs.
Personal/Biographical contains items from Fay’s years both as a student and as an alumna. The items include Fay’s Framingham Normal School report cards, a commencement program, a letter of reference from Marshall L. Perrin (the Superintendent of Schools, Town of Wellesley), a songbook, postcards, and mementos from the 50th reunion of the Class of 1905.
Photographs consist of prints from Fay’s school days, including pictures of her friends and classmates, as well as an official photo of the Class of 1905. The original class photo is in poor condition. It has been removed from the collection for preservation purposes and is being stored in the Special Collections vault. There are two copy prints housed with the collection. The first is an untouched photo and the second is a restored print. The follow quotation is handwritten on the back of the original: “Graduation Class of Framingham Normal School, June 1905; Note: Principal Mr. Henry Whittemore (my mother’s cousin), I am in back of him; I was 19 years old—pres. of my class; note: Home Ec. Girls in white, others are prospective teachers.”