She was the director of the Boston Normal School of Gymnastics, from its founding in 1889, through its reorganization as the Department of Hygiene and Physical Education at Wellesley College, until she retired in 1918.

She went South to work with her aunt as a teacher and school principal in Wilmington, North Carolina from 1869 to 1877.

[3][4] Her program was based on Swedish "medical gymnastics" as popularized by Pehr Henrik Ling.

[5][6][7] She retired as director in 1918, succeeded by Roxana Vivian;[8] by that time, the school was the department of hygiene at Wellesley College.

[15] She is recognized as "a great champion for women's pursuit of leadership in physical education and sport.