Blanche Ames was born into a prominent New England family in Lowell, Massachusetts. Her father, Adelbert Ames, was a Civil War general and later governor of Mississippi, and her mother, Blanche Butler Ames, was a writer and advocate for women's education. This intellectually stimulating and politically engaged environment undoubtedly shaped Blanche's own progressive views and activism.

Blanche Ames attended Smith College, where she excelled in art and developed her intellectual curiosity. She studied art under Dwight William Tryon and received a B.A. in 1899. Smith College provided a supportive environment for female intellectuals, further fueling her independence and empowering her to pursue her passions.