hɜː mˈʌðɚ wʌzɐ skˈuːl tˈiːtʃɚɹ ɪn sˈændwɪtʃ, mˌæsɐtʃˈuːsɪts ænd mˈɛɹi wˈɜːkt æz ɐ tˈiːtʃɚɹ æz wˈɛl fɹʌm wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks tə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn, bˌʌt sˈuːn ɐbˈændənd tˈiːtʃɪŋ tə wˈɜːk fɚðə bˈɔstən ænd sˈændwɪtʃ ɡlˈæs kˈʌmpəni æz ɐ ɡlˈæs dˈɛkoːɹˌeɪɾɚ, bɪɡˈɪnɪŋ ɪn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi.
Her mother was a school teacher in Sandwich, Massachusetts and Mary worked as a teacher as well from 1876 to 1879, but soon abandoned teaching to work for the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company as a glass decorator, beginning in January 1880.