Mary Lyon

Mary Mason Lyon  was an American pioneer in women's education. She established the Wheaton Female Seminary in Norton, Massa-chusetts, in 1834. She then established Mo-unt Holyoke Female Seminary (now Mount Holyoke College) in South Hadley, Massachusetts in 1837 and served as its first president (or "principal") for 12 years.

Lyon's vision fused intellectual challenge and moral purpose. She valued socioeconomic diversity and endeavored to make the seminary affordable for students of modest means. Many buildings have been named in her honor, including Mary Lyon Hall at Mount Holyoke College.

Built in 1897 on the site of the former Seminary Building, the hall houses college offices, classrooms, and a chapel.She was born on 28 February 1797 near Buckland, Massachusetts .