Carpenter House

Carpenter House went through many different uses throughout its years at Lasell University, from being a dormitory to a day school for children. But to start off, Carpenter House was named after, Caroline Carpenter, an assistant principal of the university and a professor of many different subjects, including History, and English Literature. Born in 1833, Carpenter came to Lasell in 1873 after the death of her father, and taught for many years, she also because preceptress at various times when President Charles Bragdon was away. Winslow writes of her, “The influence of a remarkable woman such as Caroline Carpenter on generations of young women is incalculable. Of buoyant spirit, wit, unselfish disposition, and loyalty to the institution, she served for thirty-four years as an example not only to pupils but to her colleagues as well” The Lasell Class of 1898 named this house after her, as she was well loved by the students and contributed so much to the school. It seems that Carpenter House was also a popular place for students, in the Lasell newspaper, there were advertisements of tea times, that allowed the girls to come together and socialize on campus. It was also said that, “It seemed to welcome any student who happened to be passing by to come in and chat awhile,” and “Carpenter was the only house with an outside smoker. The girls were sitting enjoying the sun while having a cigarette and playing a hand or two of bridge.” Originally Carpenter House was built in 1890, but it was restored in 2013 for $490,000.