Scales House (1936)
Scales House is a Smith College residence in the Paradise neighborhood, housing 76 students, built in 1936.
Dining hallPartial kitchenElevatorAccessible
Photo: Smith College
About Scales House
Completed in 1935–1936 alongside King House, Scales is one of the 10 quad houses forming the semicircular "Great Quadrangle" where diplomas are distributed at Commencement. The house honors Laura Woolsey Lord Scales, class of 1901, who served as Smith's inaugural dean of students for 22 years.
Notable residents
- Gloria Steinem ’56 — The writer and feminist organizer is listed under Scales House in her class of 1956 “People by Houses” record. (Smith Alumnae — Class of 1956, People by Houses)
History & namesake
- Named for Laura Woolsey Lord Scales, class of 1901, Smith's first dean of students. (Smith College — Scales House)
House facts
| Neighborhood | Paradise |
|---|---|
| Year built | 1936 |
| Capacity | 76 students |
| Residential floors | 4 |
| Single rooms | 73 |
| Double rooms | 0 |
| Triple rooms | 1 |
| Quad rooms | 0 |
| Bathroom sharing | ~24 per bathroom |
| Accessible (first floor) | Yes |
| Elevator | Yes |
| Central air conditioning | No |
| Dining hall | Yes |
| Student kitchen | Partial |
| Address | Elm Street, Northampton, MA |
Off campus from here
- State Street Fruit Store10 min walk
- Serio's Pharmacy10 min walk
- Main Street ATMs15 min walk
- Foster Farrar True Value Hardware15 min walk
All off-campus places, with times from this house →
Links
- @scales.house on Instagram
- @scaleshouse24 on TikTok
- View Scales House on the interactive campus map
- Dining hall menu (Smith Dining Services)
- Official Scales House page (smith.edu)
- Scales House alumnae group on Facebook
More houses in the ● Paradise neighborhood: Cushing House, Emerson House, Friedman Apartments, Jordan House, King House, Park House.