Hilda Caselli was born and raised at Gammelsbo in Ramsberg in Västmanland, were her father was employed as the manager of an estate. Her father became blind in 1859, and the family moved to Uppsala, were her brothers studied at the university: similar to many females of her generation, she and her sisters were in contrast educated in very little more than to manage a household at home.
She played an important role in the debate of educational issues and women"s education in Sweden in the late 19th-century. She found this unfair, which reportedly affected her. As an adult, she educated herself in the governess training course at the newly founded pioneer female seminary of Jane Miller Thengberg in Uppsala, the Klosterskolan, and made a study trip to England in 1862.
As a person, Caselli was described as a very strict, firm and authoritative person, who aroused great respect among her students, but also as just and competent.
She was also reportedly beautiful, though, as it was said, this was not very evident because of her strict behavior and her Pince-nez. Caselli made herself known for her engagement within women"s educational issues.
The national Flickskolemöte was regularly arranged from 1879 until 1901 as a counterpart to the regular Läroverksmöte, were the teachers and principals of the nations Gymnasium (school)s for males gathered to discuss reforms, difficulties, needs, mistakes and successes concerning their activity: the purpose of the Flickskolemöte was for representatives of the nations secondary educational girl schools to do the same. Caselli had been inspired to this after having participated in meetings discussing the need of reform for girls education arranged by the Tidskrift för hemmet in 1875.
In 1877, a board was created including Caselli, Therese Gyldén, Sofi Almqvist and Ellen Key, and in 1879, she arranged the first nationwide Flickskolemöte.
Six more were to be held every four years until 1901, which were to have a significant role for the development of women"s education. In 1896, she was given the Illis quorum.
Caselli was a member of the government committee of female education, the Flickskolekommittén 1885 (Girl School Committee of 1885) and as such, together with Sophie Adlersparre, the first female member of a government committee in Sweden.
