Edith Naomi Hill was born on April 10, 1881 in Chicago, Illinois to parents Calvin H. and Naomi (Childs) Hill. She was educated at Miss Capen's Boarding School in Northampton, MA and eventually went on to graduate from Smith College in 1903. From 1908 to 1910, Hill attended Columbia University, studying History, English, and Philosophy. Also in 1910, she became Editor in Chief of the Smith Alumnae Quarterly, which had been established only a year earlier. In 1928, Hill was granted an Honorary Master of the Arts Degree by President W.A. Neilson of Smith College. Ten years later, in 1938, Hill retired from her position at the Alumnae Quarterly, but continued to work in the publications department until 1952. She devoted much of her energy and efforts to the students of Smith College, and was an active member of the Northampton community. On crutches since childhood, she fought ill health and failing eyesight her entire life, until April 9, 1975. She passed away one day short of her 94th birthday in the Amherst Nursing Home.