Lucy Sprague Mitchell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lucy Sprague Mitchell
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Lucy Sprague, from the 1900 Radcliffe College yearbook
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| 1st President of Bank Street College of Education | |
| In office 1916–1955 |
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| Succeeded by | John H. Niemeyer |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Lucy Sprague
July 2, 1878 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | October 15, 1967 New York City |
| Spouse | Wesley Clair Mitchell |
| Relations | Adolph C. Miller (brother-in-law); Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge (cousin) |
| Children | 4, including Arnold Mitchell |
| Alma mater | Radcliffe College |
| Profession | Educator, writer |
Lucy Sprague Mitchell (born July 2, 1878 – died October 15, 1967) was an important American educator. She was also a children's writer. She is best known for starting the Bank Street College of Education.
Early Life and Learning
Lucy Sprague was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, Otho A. S. Sprague, was a businessman. Her mother was Lucia Atwood Sprague.
She went to Radcliffe College from 1896 to 1900. She studied philosophy and graduated with high honors. While at Radcliffe, Lucy lived with Alice and George Palmer. They lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
At that time, colleges had strict rules about boys and girls. Lucy had to find ways around the all-male Harvard Yard. She needed to reach Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology. This is where she worked in the Radcliffe Zoological Laboratory.
Her sister Mary married a scientist named Adolph C. Miller. The famous pianist Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge was her first cousin.
A Career in Education
Lucy Sprague Mitchell became the first dean of women. This was at the University of California, Berkeley. From 1903 to 1912, she taught English there. She also worked to help women students find good education and job chances. Her assistant, Lucy Ward Stebbins, took over from her later.
In 1916, Lucy was inspired by John Dewey's ideas. She helped start the Bureau of Educational Experiments (BEE) in New York City. This group wanted to study and create the best places for children to learn. The BEE later grew into the Bank Street College of Education.
Books for Young Readers
Mitchell wrote more than twenty books. Many of them were for children. Some of her well-known books include:
- North America (1931)
- Streets: Stories for Children Under Seven (1933)
- Horses Now and Long Ago (1938)
- The Here and Now Story Book (1938)
- See What's in the Grass (1945)
- Our Children and Our Schools (1950)
- Believe and Make Believe (1956)
She also wrote a book about her marriage. It was called Two Lives: The Story of Wesley Clair Mitchell and Myself (1953).
Family Life
Lucy Sprague married Wesley Clair Mitchell in 1912. He was an economist. They had four children together. One of their children was the social scientist Arnold Mitchell.
Wesley C. Mitchell passed away in 1948. Lucy Sprague Mitchell died in 1967. She was 89 years old and passed away in Palo Alto, California. Columbia University keeps a collection of her writings. A book about her life, Lucy Sprague Mitchell: The Making of a Modern Woman, was written by Joyce Antler in 1988.
