Kate Starr Kellogg: a Rebel Girl
In the book Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo extol the accomplishments of influential and trailblazing women. While Kate Starr Kellogg isn’t featured in their book, maybe she should be in the sequel!
One of six daughters, Kate Starr Kellogg was born on April 20, 1854 in Bridgewater, New York to Dr. John Leonard Kellogg and Harriet Bencham Scott Kellogg. Dr. Kellogg was a respected professor of obstetrics and diseases of women and children as member of the faculty of Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago, while building a practice near Michigan Avenue and 24th Street.
Kate was raised in Englewood, which at the time was a suburb of Chicago. The Kelloggs were members of the Unitarian Church but were interested also in Christian Science, Theosophy (a collection of mysical and occult philosophies), and the ideas of Emanuel Swedenborg, founder of a religious movement that became known as Swedenborgianism. The family eventually moved to a 70-acre farm in what is now the suburb of Evergreen Park.
In the Kellogg household, education was highly encouraged, and the family read extensively. Well aware of the challenges his daughters would face in the 19th century, he empowered them with the knowledge that they could change the world! Emerson and Thoreau were among the family’s favorite authors.
Kate Starr Kellogg attended a public schools in Chicago, Babcock Academy followed by the Cook County Normal School (later known as Chicago Teachers South College), where she pursued a career in teaching, one of the few careers available to women at the time. After graduating, she was hired by Springer, and then Douglas elementary schools. Eventually Kate was lured away to spent 22 years as principal of Lewis-Champlin School in Englewood at Stewart Avenue and 65th Street.
There she created what may best be called an education laboratory. With the help of fellow teachers, she explored different teaching techniques while championing children’s fullest self-expression. This produced many breakthroughs that have become a seemingly permanent part of education, such as parent-teacher associations, and bringing the applied arts into classrooms. Another innovative idea was putting children in contact with municipal and community problems so that they could become conscious citizens.
In 1906 Miss Kellogg (as she was known) moved to Parker Practice School and in 1909 was made district superintendent. She retired in 1916, spending the last years of her life at the family home in Evergreen Park.
Kate Starr Kellogg is remembered as an advocate for major school administration reform, more democratic decision-making, exposing corruption, and defending teachers’ right to unionize. Miss Kellogg was a leading member of the Chicago Woman’s Club, too. Kate and her sister Alice—who was a painter, art instructor and illustrator—were active at Jane Addams’s Hull House, along with several other suffragettes including Jane Addams herself.
Kate Starr Kellogg is remembered as an advocate for major school administration reform, more democratic decision-making, exposing corruption, and defending teachers’ right to unionize. Miss Kellogg was a leading member of the Chicago Woman’s Club, too. Kate and her sister Alice—who was a painter, art instructor and illustrator—were active at Jane Addams’s Hull House, along with several other suffragettes including Jane Addams herself.
Kate Starr Kellogg died on December 7, 1925 and is buried in Mount Greenwood Cemetery. Her grave, like several others on their family plot, is unmarked. In 1927 Chicago Public Schools purchased property at 91st and Leavitt and built a temporary school there. A decade later the Board of Education allocated money for a permanent structure, and Kate Starr Kellogg School opened its doors October 20, 1937. The official dedication was in January 1938.
We are proud to have our dear little school named after Kellogg, a suffragette who wrote the words to the Wedding Song for the World Congress Representative Women, and an educator who turned the public school system on its ear.
Sources:
Library of University of Michigan Medical
The World's Congress of Representative Women, Volumes 1-2 Edited by May Wright Sewall
Proceedings of the Board of Education of city of Chicago July 17, 1895-July 1, 1896
Mount Greenwood Cemetery By Margaret M. Kapustiak and Paula K. Everett
We are proud to have our dear little school named after Kellogg, a suffragette who wrote the words to the Wedding Song for the World Congress Representative Women, and an educator who turned the public school system on its ear.
Sources:
Library of University of Michigan Medical
The World's Congress of Representative Women, Volumes 1-2 Edited by May Wright Sewall
Proceedings of the Board of Education of city of Chicago July 17, 1895-July 1, 1896
Mount Greenwood Cemetery By Margaret M. Kapustiak and Paula K. Everett
