Lee-Yardley Day 2026

Each September, the Chatham Hall community gathers for Lee-Yardley Day, a tradition that celebrates service to the School and honors those whose lives and work have strengthened and sustained our beloved community. This year marked the 37th celebration of Lee-Yardley Day, a day rooted in the legacy of two extraordinary leaders whose combined 43 years of service helped shape Chatham Hall into a place of national distinction, resilience, and opportunity: Dr. Edmund Jennings Lee and Dr. William Woolsey Yardley.

Their back-to-back tenures carried Chatham Hall through eras of challenge and change, from the Great Depression and World War II to the cultural shifts of the mid-20th century. Through it all, they understood that the strength of a school is built not only through its buildings and programs, but through the people who believe in its future and devote themselves to its continued growth.

When Dr. Edmund Jennings Lee was appointed Chatham Hall’s seventh principal in 1928, he faced the devastating possibility of closing the School. Instead, through extraordinary vision and determination, he not only kept Chatham Hall alive but propelled it forward as a nationally recognized college preparatory school for young women.

During the hardships of the Great Depression, Dr. Lee oversaw the expansion of Pruden Hall, adding modern facilities and doubling the size of the dining room. He created space for the arts with music practice rooms, expanded student capacity through new dormitories, and helped shape the campus we know today.

His tenure brought the construction of Willis Hall, originally built as a student recreation center and now home to the Lee Library; the Rectory; St. Mary’s Chapel; and new stables, marking the formal beginning of Chatham Hall’s equestrian program, which has since become one of the School’s defining traditions.

Through economic depression and global conflict, Dr. Lee led with steadfastness and vision. When he and his wife, Lucy, left Chatham Hall in 1949, the bells of the newly built chapel tower rang in honor of their devotion to the School.

Dr. Lee was entrusted with selecting his own successor and chose William Woolsey Yardley, then head of Tuxedo Park Country Day School in New York. In 1949, Dr. Yardley became the first leader of Chatham Hall to hold the title of Rector. He was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1956 and remained Rector until 1973.

Like Dr. Lee, Dr. Yardley was a builder, not only of buildings but of traditions, opportunities, and community. During his tenure, Chatham Hall expanded housing for faculty and students, helping the School attract a talented and diverse faculty. He established Chatham Hall’s first annual giving program in 1956, creating a broader foundation of financial support and engagement that remains essential today.

At a time when many single-gender boarding schools were transitioning to coeducation, Dr. Yardley explored opportunities for Chatham Hall students to learn alongside boys through academic partnerships with Woodberry Forest and Brooks Academy. Ultimately, he reaffirmed Chatham Hall’s commitment to educating girls, ensuring the School’s continued place as a national leader in girls’ education.

His tenure also marked an important expansion of Chatham Hall’s commitment to inclusion. In 1969, the School welcomed its first African American students, expanding the diversity of our community and our commitment to providing an excellent education for all girls. Dr. Yardley’s legacy can also be seen across campus. The 1962 capital campaign added the Edmund J. and Lucy Lee Library, Yardley Hall, expanded dining and dormitory facilities, and the Virginia Holt Science and Art Building.

Through times of social change and financial challenge, Dr. Yardley preserved the traditions that defined Chatham Hall while opening doors for new generations of students.

 The spirit of service celebrated on Lee-Yardley Day is also embodied in the Alice Overbey Award, one of the School’s most cherished traditions. Created in memory of Alice Overbey, the award recognizes an individual from the greater Chatham Hall community who demonstrates outstanding commitment and service to the School. Alice was more than an employee. She was a neighbor, a parent, and a trusted steward of Chatham Hall’s well-being. During her 26 years as Assistant Bursar, Business Manager, and Assistant to the Director of Development, she balanced financial stewardship with genuine care for the people of this community.

For Alice, numbers told a story, but people were always the heart of the matter.

This year, we were honored to welcome her daughter, Terry Stafford ’68, back to campus as we remembered Alice’s remarkable legacy.

During this year’s Lee-Yardley Day chapel, Chatham Hall presented the 2026-2027 Alice Overbey Award to Mayor Alisa B. Davis in recognition of her unwavering service, loyalty, and commitment to the Chatham community. As Mayor of Chatham, Alisa has led with positivity, persistence, and a commitment to meaningful change. She understands the importance of bringing people together, investing in the community, and creating opportunities that strengthen Chatham for everyone who calls it home.

She has been a wonderful partner to Chatham Hall, working with the School on the development of the town’s trail system, sidewalk enhancements, the Arboretum, and other projects that strengthen the connection between Chatham Hall and the Town. Even when faced with challenges and barriers, she continues to look for ways forward.

Alisa also understands the important role Chatham Hall plays in the life and vitality of Chatham. She recognizes that our students, families, and visitors contribute to the broader community, and she has worked to help create a town where they can gather, explore, eat, shop, and feel at home. Last year, Alisa and her team welcomed Chatham Hall interns, giving students the opportunity to develop leadership skills, learn more about the town they call home, and experience firsthand what it means to contribute to their community.

Her commitment extends far beyond her role as Mayor. Through her work with Chatham First, the Chatham Rotary Club, the Chatham Garden Club, and other community organizations, she has consistently invested her time and talents in making Chatham a stronger, more vibrant place.

Alisa is a wonderful partner to Chatham Hall and a role model for our students. She demonstrates what it looks like to lead with purpose, build connections, persevere through challenges, and believe in what a community can become.

As our community gathered in St. Mary’s Chapel, students, faculty, staff, and guests were reminded that Lee-Yardley Day is about more than honoring the past. It is about recognizing the people who continue to carry Chatham Hall’s values forward through their leadership, service, faith, and care for others. This year’s chapel included Scripture, music from St. Mary’s Choir, prayers of gratitude, and a community prayer calling us to turn our values into action and our faith into service.

It is a fitting reminder of what Lee-Yardley Day has always celebrated. From Dr. Lee and Dr. Yardley to Alice Overbey and the many recipients of the Alice Overbey Award who have followed, Chatham Hall’s story has always been shaped by people who give of themselves to strengthen the School and the community around it.

As we honor those who came before us, we are reminded that Chatham Hall’s strength lies not only in its buildings and traditions, but in the people whose love sustains it across generations.

May we each, in our own time, carry this legacy forward.