Sally Drew Hall: "One of Dartmouth’s Greatest Ladies of All Time"

For nearly a century, generations of Dartmouth students have turned to the college’s infirmary, known as Dick’s House, for first aid and medical care. Yet few realize that this enduring institution was born not merely out of necessity, but as a lasting testament to the profound love and devotion a mother had for her son. That mother was Sally Drew Hall and it was her perseverance, generosity, and unwavering dedication in the face of heartbreaking tragedy that gave rise to what we now know as Dick’s House.

Throughout her life, Sarah “Sally” Drew Hall was devoted to serving the many communities she belonged to. She served as a trustee of her alma mater, Radcliffe College, as well as Boston Children’s Hospital. Beyond her institutional roles, she was also an active member of the League of Women Voters and a dedicated supporter of the American Red Cross.

But it was the sudden and tragic death of her son, Richard “Dick” Hall, in 1924 that would inspire her most enduring act of philanthropy. Dick died of polio in 1924 during his sophomore year at Dartmouth. At the time, the college lacked proper on-campus medical care, and Dick passed away far from his family in a local hospital.

In the midst of overwhelming grief, Sally and her husband, Edward K. Hall (Dartmouth Class of 1892), resolved that no other Dartmouth student should have to endure serious illness without the comfort of home and family nearby. They donated $300,000 (around $5.7 million today) to create that home and worked hand in hand with the college, sharing ideas and overseeing the project to ensure it reflected their vision.

In 1927, the year Dick was meant to graduate, Dick’s House was completed and opened its doors. Throughout its planning and construction, Sally worked closely with the architect she selected, Jens Larson, to ensure the building felt more like a residence than a hospital. She insisted on including guest rooms so that family members could stay with ill students and advocated for the hiring of a House Mother, so there would always be a comforting presence within its walls.

Once construction was complete and attention turned to the interiors, Sally truly came into her own. With a deep sense of purpose and an eye for warmth and beauty, she immersed herself in designing a space that was both functional and comforting. Her notebook (now preserved in the Rauner Special Collections Library) contains detailed plans for each room, along with swatches of wallpaper, paint samples, and handwritten notes. These materials reflect not only her aesthetic sensibilities but also her profound dedication to making Dick’s House feel less like a hospital and more like a true home.

The final cornerstone of Dick’s House was placed during a special ceremony attended by members of the Class of 1927. At the event, Sally and Edward Hall shared their vision for the building:

“This House will serve as an infirmary for Dartmouth students who are sick, as a place of recuperation for those who simply need rest and a bit of care, and for all who sojourn within its walls we hope that it will serve as a home.”

Just five years later, in 1932, Edward Hall passed away. Sally continued to oversee Dick’s House with unwavering devotion, receiving frequent letters of gratitude from students who had stayed there. In one of her own letters, she responded to a student:

“If Dick’s House has served you well both physically and spiritually, it has once more fulfilled its highest purpose and I am happy indeed.”

In 1947, twenty years after Dick’s House first opened, Sally was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Dartmouth College at the commencement of the Class of 1947. Among the seven recipients that year, she was the only woman. In presenting the degree, President John Sloan Dickey called her “one of Dartmouth’s greatest ladies of all time” and praised her unrelenting commitment to the care of students through Dick’s House. Fittingly, Dickey himself would receive hospice care and pass away at Dick’s House more than four decades later.

When Sally passed away in 1949, she ensured the continued care of Dick’s House by establishing the Sally and Edward K. Hall Fund, overseen by her daughter, Dorothy Leavitt. The fund was created specifically to preserve the home-like atmosphere she had so carefully crafted from the wallpaper and furniture to the comforting library still intact today. Her son’s portrait still hangs in the lounge, and the quiet warmth she instilled in every room continues to embrace each student who walks through its doors.

Though Sally Hall was formally recognized with an honorary degree, her letters make it clear that her greatest reward was knowing that, thanks to her, generations of Dartmouth students, just like her son, would find rest, healing, and comfort in the house.

To see Sally Drew Hall's design plans for Dick's House, request MS-1370. Her correspondence can be found in Mss 003179 and ML-33, boxes 8, 9, and 10.

Posted for Caítlin Layhe Nugent '25, recipient of a Historical Accountability Student Research Fellowship for the 2025 summer term. The Historical Accountability Student Research Program provides funding for Dartmouth students to conduct research with primary sources on a topic related to issues of inclusivity and diversity in the college's past. For more information, visit the program's website.