Aimwell School records

The Aimwell School was founded in 1796 by Anne Parrish (1760-1800) and was run originally out of Parrish's own home on North 2nd Street in Philadelphia as an educational opportunity for underprivileged girls. The school's mission was to provide a "proper" education to young girls while charging no more than a small regular fee for the usage of books. No tuition was charged and the school ran entirely on donations. Parrish and her coworkers formed together as the Society for the Free Instruction of Female Children, under the management of the Society of Friends. As the institution grew, it moved to four different locations before settling in the Friends' Meeting House at 6th & Noble Streets in Philadelphia in 1889, where it stayed until 1914. In 1915, the school reopened at 865-69 North Randolph Street in Philadelphia and emphasized the goals of spiritual, mental, moral, and physical education for the students.

In 1859, the Society for the Free Instruction of Female Children was incorporated and the name was then changed to the Aimwell School Association. The school was open until 1923; the corporation dissolved in 1935. The funds were transferred to a Friends fiduciary group.

There were several principal contributors to the Aimwell School, namely: Anne Parrish, Sarah Richie, Sarah Bacon, and Margaret Warder, who were some of the first members of the Society for the Free Instruction of Female Children. Catharine Morris was also an early member to the Society and provided significant financial support for the institution. Mary Wheeler served as the first treasurer, followed by Mary M. Leeds whom served in the position for an extensive period of time.