Caroline Pratt's political, toy manufacturing, and educational life, 1896‐1921

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the political, toy manufacturing, and educational activities of Caroline Louise Pratt (1867‐1954), founder of the Play School (later renamed City and Country School), New York City.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews previously unreported biographical material and draws on a number of Caroline Pratt's own writings, combining results of archival text research and digital searches.FindingsNewly available data sources on Caroline Pratt's 1896‐1921 life show her to be more of a social reconstructionist than previously concluded. This research demonstrates that it was Pratt's feminist, socialist and trade unionist ideals, transformed into educational aims, that formed the core of her educational work.Research limitations/implicationsThis investigation is limited to Pratt's activities during the years 1896 to 1921.Originality/valueThe internet has provided ready access to a wealth of newspaper and journal documents. The ease of access has no precedent, and the volume of newly available data sources has brought opportunities for reinterpretation and rewriting of the history of education. Yet even more new data will inevitably become accessible. This paper provides insights into how previously unresearched documents, now easily found through digital research, can enhance understanding of the contributions of Caroline Pratt.

Revisiting the life of Lucy Garvin, first principal of Sydney Girls High School: expanded biography and use of digital sources

“…As more and more sources become available online, educational biographies like that of Lucy Garvin will require revision and expansion. Jereon Staring (2013, p. 87) wrote about just this in his study of pioneering progressive US educator, Caroline Pratt. Staring commented that: “Combining digital sources and library archives may generate a wealth of previously unreported data conveying new insights and conclusions.…”

From Nursing to Nursery School: The Life and Works of Harriet M. Johnson from 1900-1934

“…As well, all four had worked for, or with, the Hartley House settlement. They knew each other for years, most probably since March 1903 when Forbes and Johnson began work for the Hartley House settlement where Pratt taught an experimental manual training method (Staring, 2013a(Staring, -b, 2015.…”

“…Yet, the Daily Boston Globe found in 1929 that New York City"s Play School, co-founded in 1913 by Caroline Pratt and Edna Smith actually was the first American nursery schoolnotably established one year prior to the founding of the McMillan nursery school near London, England, or Naumburg and Raphael"s Montessori Class in New York City (Philippi-Siewertsz van Reesema, 1949;Staring, 2013aStaring, -b, 2015).…”