Leach, Abby, 1855-1918.

Abby Leach, was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, and came to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the hopes of continuing her studies with Harvard professors. She persuaded several to take her on as a private student and impressed them favorably; she is credited with making members of Harvard faculty receptive to the idea of establishing a women's college. Leach attended the "Harvard Annex" from 1879 to 1882. She became an instructor of Greek at Vassar in 1883, and earned an A.B. and A.M. from Vassar in 1885. She was professor of Greek at Vassar from 1889 until 1918. She served as president of the American Philological Association (1899-1900).