Saint Mary's
Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
Saint Mary's. Episcopal school for girls. Established 1842 by Rev. Aldert Smede on the site of an earlier Episcopal boys school.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Established in 1842 by the Reverend Aldert Smedes, Saint Mary's was an Episcopal school for girls built on the site of an earlier Episcopal school for boys. In an age when few institutions offered serious education to young women, Smedes built a rigorous academy that drew students from across the South. It became one of the region's most enduring girls' schools.
Why it matters
Saint Mary's helped establish the idea that young women deserved a demanding education, advancing the long struggle to open learning to both sexes.
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Related people
- · Aldert Smedes
Related events
- · Founding of Saint Mary's School, 1842
Themes & tags
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