Edith Abbott
Encyclopedia
Edith Abbott was an American
economist
, social worker, educator, and author
. Abbott was born in Grand Island, Nebraska
. Her younger sister was Grace Abbott
.
In 1893, Abbott graduated from Brownell Hall
, a girls' boarding school in Omaha
. However, her family could not afford to send her to college, so she began teaching high school in Grand Island. She took correspondence courses and attended summer sessions until she earned a degree from the University of Nebraska in 1901. After two more years as a teacher, Abbott attended the the University of Chicago
and received a Ph.D. in economics
in 1905.
In 1906, Abbott received a Carnegie Fellowship and continued her studies at University College London
, and the London School of Economics
. She learned from social reformers Sidney Webb and Beatrice Webb
, who championed new approaches to dealing with poverty. The next year, Abbott returned to the United States and taught economics for a year at Wellesley College.
Abbott also worked as an assistant to Sophonisba Breckinridge
, then director of social research at the Chicago School of Civics and Philanthropy. In that position, Abbott contributed to studies of juvenile delinquents and truants. She also created studies on women in industry and problems in the penal system.
In 1920, Abbott and Breckinridge helped arrange the transfer of the School of Civics and Philanthropy to the University of Chicago
, where it was renamed to the School of Social Service Administration. The school was the first university-based graduate school of social work. In 1924, Abbott became the school's dean, the first US woman to become the dean of an American graduate school. She served in that position until 1942, and she emphasized the importance of formal education in social work and the need to include field experience as part of that training. In 1926, Abbott helped establish the Cook County Bureau of Public Welfare, and in 1935, she helped draft the Social Security Act.
From 1942 to 1953, Abbott taught and edited the Social Service Review
, which she had co-founded with Breckinridge in 1927.
Abbott was known to be a confidant and special consultant to Harry Hopkins
, adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
During her career, Abbott wrote over 100 books and articles on a variety of topics. For this reason, she was known as the "passionate statistician." In her writing, Abbott stressed the importance and the essential need of a public welfare administration, the need for a more humane social welfare system, the responsibility of the state in relation to social problems, and the social aspects of legislation
.
Abbott spent her last years with her brother Arthur in the family home in Grand Island, where she died of pneumonia
in 1957. She left the bulk of her estate to the Grand Island Public Library. She also left a trust for a collection of non-fiction books in memory of her mother, Elizabeth Abbott.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
, social worker, educator, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Abbott was born in Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 48,520 at the 2010 census.Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state,...
. Her younger sister was Grace Abbott
Grace Abbott
Grace Abbott was an American social worker who specifically worked in advancing child welfare. Her elder sister was social worker Edith Abbott....
.
In 1893, Abbott graduated from Brownell Hall
Brownell-Talbot School
Brownell-Talbot School is Nebraska's only private, independent, co-educational, college preparatory day school. It is located in Omaha, Nebraska...
, a girls' boarding school in Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. However, her family could not afford to send her to college, so she began teaching high school in Grand Island. She took correspondence courses and attended summer sessions until she earned a degree from the University of Nebraska in 1901. After two more years as a teacher, Abbott attended the the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and received a Ph.D. in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in 1905.
In 1906, Abbott received a Carnegie Fellowship and continued her studies at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, and the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. She learned from social reformers Sidney Webb and Beatrice Webb
Beatrice Webb
Martha Beatrice Webb, Lady Passfield was an English sociologist, economist, socialist and social reformer. Although her husband became Baron Passfield in 1929, she refused to be known as Lady Passfield...
, who championed new approaches to dealing with poverty. The next year, Abbott returned to the United States and taught economics for a year at Wellesley College.
Abbott also worked as an assistant to Sophonisba Breckinridge
Sophonisba Breckinridge
Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge was an American activist, Progressive Era social reformer, social scientist and innovator in higher education.- Background :...
, then director of social research at the Chicago School of Civics and Philanthropy. In that position, Abbott contributed to studies of juvenile delinquents and truants. She also created studies on women in industry and problems in the penal system.
In 1920, Abbott and Breckinridge helped arrange the transfer of the School of Civics and Philanthropy to the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, where it was renamed to the School of Social Service Administration. The school was the first university-based graduate school of social work. In 1924, Abbott became the school's dean, the first US woman to become the dean of an American graduate school. She served in that position until 1942, and she emphasized the importance of formal education in social work and the need to include field experience as part of that training. In 1926, Abbott helped establish the Cook County Bureau of Public Welfare, and in 1935, she helped draft the Social Security Act.
From 1942 to 1953, Abbott taught and edited the Social Service Review
Social Service Review
The Social Service Review is an academic journal published by the University of Chicago Press which covers social welfare policy and practice and its effects....
, which she had co-founded with Breckinridge in 1927.
Abbott was known to be a confidant and special consultant to Harry Hopkins
Harry Hopkins
Harry Lloyd Hopkins was one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's closest advisers. He was one of the architects of the New Deal, especially the relief programs of the Works Progress Administration , which he directed and built into the largest employer in the country...
, adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
During her career, Abbott wrote over 100 books and articles on a variety of topics. For this reason, she was known as the "passionate statistician." In her writing, Abbott stressed the importance and the essential need of a public welfare administration, the need for a more humane social welfare system, the responsibility of the state in relation to social problems, and the social aspects of legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
.
Abbott spent her last years with her brother Arthur in the family home in Grand Island, where she died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in 1957. She left the bulk of her estate to the Grand Island Public Library. She also left a trust for a collection of non-fiction books in memory of her mother, Elizabeth Abbott.
Publications
- Women in industry; a study in American economic history. New York; London: D. Appleton and Co., 1910.
External links
- Harvard University Library Open Collections Program. Women Working, 1870-1930, Edith Abbott (1876-1957). A full-text searchable online database with complete access to publications written by Edith Abbott.
- Edith and Grace Abbott, Papers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Abbott Family papers at Nebraska State Historical SocietyNebraska State Historical SocietyThe Nebraska State Historical Society is a Nebraska state agency, founded in 1878 to "encourage historical research and inquiry, spread historical information .....