Bamford, Maya Stevens, c. 1886-1978

Person

Staff Only

Biography

Maya Stevens Bamford is a co-founder of the Nightingale-Bamford School, joining Frances Nightingale at Miss Nightingale's Classes in September 1919 as Junior Headmistress to share the responsibilities and take charge of the older girls and college preparatory group. Miss Bamford became Headmistress of the Nightingale-Bamford School in 1939 upon the retirement of Miss Nightingale. She served in that capacity until 1947.

Born in Belfast, Ireland, Miss Bamford graduated from Queens University in her native city, received a Diploma in Theory and Practice of Education from Cambridge University, and did further graduate work at Oxford and the Sorbonne. Before coming to Miss Nightingale's Classes, Miss Bamford taught in a number of girls' schools in England and in the United States, to which she emigrated in 1915, including the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore. A teacher of mathematics, Miss Bamford believed in giving young women a strong background in the sciences and mathematics. It was during Miss Bamford's tenure as Headmistress that a new school building on 92nd Street was completed to replace the townhouses the school originally occupied.

Miss Bamford died in Rockport, Maine on January 17th, 1978.

Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:

Compilation of quotes from interviews conducted by Marea Adams '74 for NBS oral history project, 1987

Item — Box: 01095

Identifier: 001 004 000 10 0021

Scope and Contents From the Record Group: In 1984, based on a determination that Nightingale's archives were inadequate in revealing the school's history, Head of School Joan McMenamin and the Alumnae Association initiated an oral history project. Alumna Marea Adams '74 conducted interviews of former faculty and staff, heads of school, trustees, parents, and alumnae (some interviewees represent more than one of these roles). This project continued through 1986. Some oral histories pre-date the project; there are also several oral...

Dates: 1987

Found in: The Nightingale-Bamford School Archives / RG04, RG04 Oral History Record Group / SG001 Oral History Recordings, Transcripts, and Notes

Pamphlet, "The Alumnae Association of The Nightingale-Bamford School presents recollections of the first fifty years, 1920-1970", 1970

Item — Box: 04008

Identifier: 004 001 000 29 0001

Scope and Contents

Compiled primarily from interviews. Includes a timeline of "significant dates" on inside back cover from 1906 to 1970.

Dates: 1970

Found in: The Nightingale-Bamford School Archives / RG03, RG03 External Relations Record Group / SG001 Institutional Advancement Records / S01 Alumnae Relations and The Alumnae Association / SS09 Collection of Alumnae Memories

SG001 Oral History Recordings, Transcripts, and Notes, c. 1965 - 2001

Sub-Group

Identifier: RG04_SG001

Dates: c. 1965 - 2001

Found in: The Nightingale-Bamford School Archives / RG04, RG04 Oral History Record Group

Sound recording of oral history of Miss Maya Stevens Bamford, 1970 May 12

File — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 006 002 000 02 0003

Dates: 1970 May 12