The Boston Cooking School was founded in 1879 by the Woman's Educational Association of Boston "to offer instruction in cooking to those who wished to earn their livelihood as cooks, or who would make practical use of such information in their families." The school became world famous following the 1896 publication of The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by its principal at the time, Fannie Merritt Farmer. Following its successful start, the school was incorporated in 1883 as the Boston Cooking School Corporation; its first president was Mrs. Hooper.