Jen Hale, Lead Archivist of the Perkins School for the Blind talks about the remarkable women associated with the Kindergarten for the Blind in Jamaica Plain during the late nineteenth century. The Kindergarten was the first of its kind in the United States and had considerable support from prominent women in the Boston area, including Isabella Stewart Gardner, Louisa May Alcott, and an eleven year old Helen Keller. After opening its doors to students in 1887, the Kindergarten was staffed by several exceptional women and some of the lasting impacts of their innovations may be surprising to audiences. 

Maud Cuney Hare was a multidimensional intellect and virtuoso: pianist-lecturer, composer, playwright, biographer, poet, editor, Black music historian and collector of music. She was also the founder and director of the Allied Arts Center in Boston.[1] She moved to Jamaica Plain in 1904 and lived there for over thirty years. Living in a period of legal segregation, disenfranchisement and lynchings, Maud Cuney Hare stood up to the racism of the time.

The following is an oral history about Alice, who will turn 101 years old in June 2026, and her family, including their experiences living in France during WWII and their memories of living in Jamaica Plain since 1957. Jenny Nathans interviewed Alice (Barro) Lieber and her daughters, Carole and Patty Lieber, on January 3rd and 13th, 2026, at Alice and Patty’s homes on Pond Street.