NORTHAMPTON - Miriam Putnam Emerson Peters, 100, of 81 Fox Farms Road in Northampton, died Oct. 29, 2009, at home.

Born in Amesbury in 1909, she was the daughter of the late Susan Mabel Hood and George Waldo Emerson. In 1931 she received a Diplome Superieur from the Alliance Francaise in Paris, France, a Certificate d'Etudes from the University of Grenoble and a degree Superior with honors from the Sorbonne in Paris. In 1932 she graduated from Smith College cum laude and then began teaching at the Bolton School in Westport, Conn., then taught at the Emerson School in Exeter, N.H. and from 1937 to 1940 was the head of the Howard School in West Bridgewater.

In 1937 she was married to Macdonald Peters, who died in 1970.

From 1940 to 1958 she was associate head of the Mary A. Burnham School in Northampton and also, from 1943 to 1950, was director of studies at the Stoneleigh School in Greenfield. In 1958 she became head of Burnham, and when that school merged with Stoneleigh School in Greenfield in 1968 she served as co-principal of the Stoneleigh-Burnham School for two years before retiring and serving as a trustee. She also was a co-founder in 1950 of Burnham-by-the-Sea, a summer school for girls in Newport, R.I., and helped conduct that school from 1950 to 1958.

She was a member of the Headmistresses of East and the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls, and her name was listed in Who's Who in America. She was the co-author of "The Emerson Years, 1938-68 in the Mary Burnham School."

A member of the Edwards Church, she had served as trustee and deaconess. After 50 years of membership she became an honorary member of the Monday Afternoon club. She was a member of the board of directors of the Lathrop Home on South Street in Northampton, serving as president from 1978 to 1980 and also served on the board of the Lathrop Community in Easthampton. She had been a volunteer at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital. From 1990 to 1997, she was president of the Tuesday Bridge Club and belonged to the Friends of Forbes Library.

In 1991 she along with two brothers, donated to Danvers Historical Society the historic home which had been in the family for 333 years and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was the birthplace of General Israel Putnam, who commanded the Battle of Bunker Hill. She enjoyed traveling and visited over 40 countries and was an avid bridge player. She was a member of both the Danvers Historical Society and the Northampton Historical Society and one of the group who acted to preserve the Manse on Prospect Street in Northampton.

She is survived by a brother, John Endicott Emerson of Northampton, with whom she made her home; and also by 11 nieces and nephews, and several grandnieces and grandnephews. Three brothers and two sisters died earlier.

Calling hours will be at 81 Fox Farms Road on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 2 to 4 p.m., with burial at 1 p.m. in the Putnam Family Cemetery in Danvers on Monday, Nov. 9. Dwyer Funeral Home, 776 North St., Pittsfield, is in charge of the arrangements. Memorial gifts may be made to the Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Florence, MA, the General Israel Putnam Homestead Trust, 431 Maple St., Danvers, MA or any charity of the donor's choice.