BUCKLAND — A group of residents gathered last week to mark the anniversary of the birth of Mary Lyon, a staunch advocate for women’s education who was born on Putnam’s Hill on Feb. 28, 1797.

The celebration, which has been organized on and off for the past couple decades, was held March 1 at the historic Mary Lyon House on Old Upper Street, where Lyon first organized a school of her own.

The special guest at the birthday luncheon was Jennifer Rosner of Northampton, author of “The Yellow Bird Sings.” Her newest novel, “Once We Were Home,” is due to be released in mid-March. Other guests included Mount Holyoke College graduates who gathered to commemorate Lyon, whose endeavors elevated educational opportunities for women.

“Mary Lyon was a woman ahead of her time; she had a vision and followed her dream of educating young ladies,” Susan Samoriski, founder of the Mary Lyon Foundation, wrote in a statement. “Innovative teaching methods were employed, which included field trips, laboratory experiments and lectures by prominent leaders in education. The name Mary Lyon became synonymous with excellence in education, and for that reason, when the Mary Lyon Foundation was established in 1990, it honored her name.”

The nonprofit, which keeps an office at Mohawk Trail Regional School, supports education in Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Hawley, Heath, Plainfield, Rowe and Shelburne.

Lyon taught in several schools before establishing her own school for young women, the Buckland Winter School. There she taught geography, chemistry, religion and other subjects before founding the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, which opened on Nov. 8, 1837 with 80 students. It became Mount Holyoke College in 1893.

Lyon, who was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, died on March 5, 1849 as a result of illness contracted while taking care of young women who fell ill at Mount Holyoke. She is buried at the college.

In 1997, to honor the 200th anniversary of Lyon’s birth, the first community birthday party was sponsored by Greenfield Savings Bank at the Shelburne Falls branch. Sponsors of gifts for attendees at this year’s celebration were Greenfield Savings Bank, Mo’s Fudge Factor, Big Y, Dr. Hauschka cosmetics and the Mary Lyon House.

]]>