Edna Dean Baker (1883–1956) was an educator, author, co-founder of Baker Demonstration School, and President of the National Kindergarten and Elementary College (later to become

National Louis University National Louis University (NLU) is a private nonprofit university with its main campus in Chicago, Illinois. NLU enrolls undergraduate and graduate students in more than 60 programs across its four colleges. It has locations throughout the Chica ...

) from 1920 to 1949. She was an early advocate for kindergarten style early childhood education in the United States. Born in

Normal, Illinois Normal is a town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town's population was 52,736. Normal is the smaller of two principal cities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area, and is I ...

, her family moved to Washington state when she was six years old. After graduating from Watcom High School in

Bellingham, Washington Bellingham ( ) is the county seat of Whatcom County, Washington, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It lies south of the Canada–United States border, U.S.–Canada border, between Vancouver, British Columbia, ...

in 1902, she moved with her family to Evanston, IL, where Edna entered

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

as a Classics Major. In 1904 after her father's death. she transferred to Chicago Kindergarten College (Later the National Kindergarten and Elementary College) to pursue a career as a kindergarten teacher. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Education from the National Kindergarten College in 1913, and returned to Northwestern University to earn a bachelor's degree in 1920 and a Master's degree in 1921. While pursuing her studies at the National Kindergarten and Elementary College, Edna and her sister, Clara Belle Baker, served as co-directors of the Evanston Elementary school, a private elementary school in

Evanston, Illinois Evanston is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, situated on the North Shore (Chicago), North Shore along Lake Michigan. A suburb of Chicago, Evanston is north of Chicago Loop, downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skok ...

. Both would later co-found Baker Demonstration School as the demonstration school for the National Kindergarten and Elementary College. 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''.

References

External links

Edna Dean Baker at National-Louis University Archives and Special Collections
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Edna Dean 1883 births 1956 deaths 20th-century American women writers Northwestern University alumni People from Normal, Illinois 20th-century American writers 20th-century American women educators 20th-century American educators National Louis University faculty