Harpeth Hall opened its doors in September 1951 after Ward-Belmont was sold to the Tennessee Baptist Convention earlier in the year. The Baptists turned Ward-Belmont into a co-ed undergraduate institution and got rid of the preparatory school, so Susan Souby opened Harpeth Hall with the support of the Ward-Belmont Preparatory community. Many faculty who worked at WB Preparatory followed Mrs. Souby to the new school, and many WB families and students also made the move to Harpeth Hall with Mrs. Souby.
