As part of Linden Hall's ongoing celebration of its 275th anniversary, Grace Remollino, Class of 2022 - who serves as the school's archivist - delivered a speech at this year's Alumnae Reunion Weekend on April 2.

For several months, Grace had spent many hours in the school's archives and connecting with alumnae across many decades and generations. Beginning with the school's founding in 1746, Grace compiled records, old photographs, and stories to illustrate how the foundation of the education of young women has endured for 275 years. Grace's research documents the school's roots in the Moravian Church, whose beliefs held that education should be extended to women, even during a time in which women could not vote or speak for themselves. Grace noted that Linden Hall was the first girls' boarding school in the U.S.

Throughout her research, Grace highlighted the evolution of the curriculum of Linden Hall. From its inception, students studied geography, history, reading, writing, and mathematics - much like students do today. A staple of Linden Hall education at the time, as Grace points out, was the needlework and embroidery students created, many pieces of which have been preserved and can be found in the school's archives.

Aside from research into the school's background as an educational institution, Grace's research highlighted the cultural and historical significance Linden Hall students have had, from the support of troops and taking of arms in events such as the Civil War to the World Wars and other events. Grace drew a connection between the historical selflessness of the Linden Hall community to that of the school's present-day mission of preparing young women to be leaders in a global society.

As her research continued, Grace documented the life of a Linden Hall student throughout the years, from the day-to-day responsibilities of a student in the 1800s to the birth of many present-day school traditions in the early 1900s to the discovery of more independence and self-expression in the 1970s and beyond. The Linden Hall experience has simultaneously evolved and persisted over the last 275 years, with its core foundations remaining intact.

Founded in 1746, Linden Hall, known as the oldest all-girls boarding school in the country, is a nationally recognized school for girls in grades six through 12.