Helen Ekin Starrett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Ekin Starrett
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| Born | Helen Martha Ekin September 19, 1840 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | December 16, 1920 (aged 80) Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California, US |
| Occupation | educator, author, suffragette, founder of a magazine and a school |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse |
William A. Starrett
(m. 1864) |
Helen Ekin Starrett (born Helen Martha Ekin; September 19, 1840 – December 16, 1920) was an important American woman. She was an educator, which means she worked in schools. She was also an author, writing many books. Helen was a suffragist, meaning she fought for women's right to vote. She even started her own magazine and schools!
Helen spent many years working in education in Chicago. She founded the Kenwood Institute in 1884. Later, in 1893, she started Mrs. Starrett's Classical School for Girls. She was the principal of this school. Helen also created Western Magazine (1880–83) in Chicago. She led the Illinois Woman's Press Association from 1893 to 1894.
Contents
Early Life and School
Helen Martha Ekin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her birthday was September 19, 1840. Her parents were Rev. John and Esther Fell (Lee) Ekin. She went to Pittsburg High School for her education.
Helen's Career
Working as an Educator
Helen Starrett founded the Kenwood Institute in Chicago. After that, she became the Principal of Mrs. Starrett's Classical School for Girls. This school worked with the University of Chicago. The school was in a large home with a big lawn. About ten students lived at the school with Helen's family. Up to 100 day students also attended. Students from her school could get into top colleges. These included Vassar College, Wellesley College, and Smith College. They could also go to the University of Chicago.
Fighting for Women's Rights
Helen Starrett was a strong activist for women's rights. In 1915, she was chosen for a special group. This group decided which famous Americans would be added to the Hall of Fame. Helen and Ida Tarbell were the only women added to this group at that time.
Helen was also a delegate at the first U.S. woman suffrage convention in 1870. She was also at the very last one in 1920. She was the only person still alive who attended both. This shows how long she worked to help women get the right to vote.
Writing Books and Articles
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Helen Starrett wrote for many magazines. She wrote for The Continent, a religious publication. She also wrote for other educational and religious journals.
She wrote several books, including:
- Future of Educated Women (1880)
- Letters to a Daughter (1882)
- Letters to Elder Daughters (1883)
- Gyppie, an Obituary (1884)
- Pete, the Story of a Chicken (1885)
- Letters to a Little Girl (1886)
- Crocus and Wintergreen, poems (with her sister, Frances Ekin Allison)
Two of her essays, The Future Of Educated Women and Men, Women And Money (by her sister), were published together. In her essay, Helen talked about how important it was for women to be independent. She believed women needed ways to express themselves and grow spiritually. She also felt that everyone should be able to pursue professional careers.
Personal Life
Helen married Rev. William A. Starrett on February 15, 1864. She passed away on December 16, 1920. She died in Portland, Oregon.
Selected Works
- After college, what? For girls
- The future of educated women, 1885
- Letters to a daughter : and a little sermon to school-girls, 1886
- The housekeeping of the future, 1890 (with Julia Ward Howe)
- Gyppy. An obituary, 1890
- Letters to a little girl, 1892
- A pioneer poet, 1894 (with Benjamin Hathaway)
- Crocus and wintergreen, 1907
- Bereavement and consolation : a little book of poems for Memorial Days, 1919
- Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago : a study of life on one of the typically ugly streets in the typically "ugly city.", 1920
- The Charm of Fine Manners: Being a Series of Letters to a Daughter, 1920
- The Charm of a Well Mannered Home. (Originally published under the title "Letters to Elder Daughters.")., 1923
