In 1909, Edith Lesley began a school to train teachers. Her progressive ideas paved the way for Lesley University, and her legacy inspires our mission today.
Our Mission
Lesley University engages students in transformative education through active learning, scholarly research, diverse forms of artistic expression, and the integration of rigorous academics with practical, professional experience, leading to meaningful careers and continuing lifelong learning. Lesley prepares socially responsible graduates with the knowledge, skills, understanding, and ethical judgment to be catalysts shaping a more just, humane, and sustainable world.
Our History
The school was founded in 1909 by Edith Lesley (1872-1953), the eldest daughter of a working class family from Maine. After working as a kindergarten teacher and taking classes at Radcliffe College, she opened her own school in 1909. Her goal: to prepare teachers for the growing kindergarten movement. The first classes were held in her family’s home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Where It All Began
The 1930s
The 1940s
Valuing the Individual
From the start, Edith Lesley emphasized the value of the individual. She believed that an education should include not only intellectual development but also social and spiritual growth. She felt strongly that education was the bedrock of democracy.
Among her most important principles was the integration of theory and practice. The young women of the Lesley School applied what they were learning in local schools, gaining classroom experience in these “laboratories for learning.”
Expanding Academic Offerings
The school flourished. In 1912, Edith Lesley married Harvard-educated engineer Merl Wolfard, and they added buildings for classroom and dormitory space. New courses were offered. By the mid 20th century, the Lesley School had grown beyond its roots. It became Lesley College in 1944, and quickly became known for excellence in teacher training.
A graduate school was added in the 1950s and within 10 years male students were enrolled in graduate education programs. (The undergraduate college remained a single-sex institution until 2005.) The 1980s and ’90s saw academic offerings expanded to include the social sciences, human services, and the fine arts. In 2000, Lesley College became Lesley University. The Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences was established.
Around the time that Edith Lesley opened her school, Boston artist Roy Atherton Davidson founded the School of Practical Arts in 1912. Davidson sought an alternative to the typical art training of his day. His school grew into the Art Institute of Boston, and became part of Lesley in 1998. It was renamed the Lesley University College of Art and Design in 2013.
I Had Perished Had I Not Persisted.
A Forward-Thinking Approach
Edith Lesley’s innovative ideas continue to guide the university she founded. Today, Lesley University is committed to a distinctly human-centered mission: to empower individuals to create positive change in the world. The lives and careers of more than 90,000 Lesley alumni worldwide are a testimony to her enduring legacy.
Social Justice Roots
Miss Lesley’s Curriculum
