Edna Dean Baker
Encyclopedia
Edna Dean Baker, was an educator, author, and President of the National Kindergarten and Elementary College (later to become National-Louis University
) from 1920 to 1949. She was an early advocate for kindergarten style early childhood education in the United States.
Born in Normal, Illinois
, her family moved to Washington state when she was six years old. After graduating from Watcom High School in Bellingham, Washington
in 1902, she returned to Illinois to enter Northwestern University
. At Northwestern, she was named to Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Lambda Theta honor societies while studying Greek and Latin with an eye on a college teaching career.
Her father's death in 1904 interrupted her college career, but seeking an alternative to a career in higher education, she entered the Chicago Kindergarten College. After completing the basic program, she and her sister opened their own private elementary school in Evanston, Illinois
. In 1909, she became director of a kindergarten. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Education from the National Kindergarten College in 1913, and returned to Northwestern to earn a bachelor's degree in 1920 and a Master's degree in 1921.
Recognized in her time as a progressive educator, Baker was listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who Among College Presidents, American Women, and Principal Women of America.
Baker was the author of several books, including The Beginner’s Book in Religion, Parenthood and Child Nurture, Kindergarten Method in the Church Schools, The Worship of the Little Child, and A Child is Born.
National-Louis University
National–Louis University is a private non-profit American university. NLU has campuses in and near Chicago, Illinois, as well as in Wisconsin, Florida, and Nowy Sącz, Poland. Many NLU courses and programs are also offered at-a-distance. The university practices multi-campus, at-a-distance, and...
) from 1920 to 1949. She was an early advocate for kindergarten style early childhood education in the United States.
Born in Normal, Illinois
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, her family moved to Washington state when she was six years old. After graduating from Watcom High School in Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
in 1902, she returned to Illinois to enter Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. At Northwestern, she was named to Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Lambda Theta honor societies while studying Greek and Latin with an eye on a college teaching career.
Her father's death in 1904 interrupted her college career, but seeking an alternative to a career in higher education, she entered the Chicago Kindergarten College. After completing the basic program, she and her sister opened their own private elementary school in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
. In 1909, she became director of a kindergarten. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Education from the National Kindergarten College in 1913, and returned to Northwestern to earn a bachelor's degree in 1920 and a Master's degree in 1921.
Recognized in her time as a progressive educator, Baker was listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who Among College Presidents, American Women, and Principal Women of America.
Baker was the author of several books, including The Beginner’s Book in Religion, Parenthood and Child Nurture, Kindergarten Method in the Church Schools, The Worship of the Little Child, and A Child is Born.