Koch, Helen L. (Helen Lois), 1895-1977

Child psychologist. Ph. B., University of Chicago, 1918; Ph. D., 1921. Taught educational psychology, University of Texas, 1922-1929. Associate professor of child psychology, University of Chicago, 1929-1942; professor, 1929-1960. Director, University Cooperative Nursery School, 1933-1938; coordinator, University of Chicago Nursery School, 1938-1948. Died 1977.

Helen Lois Koch was born August 26, 1895 in Blue Island, Illinois. She received Ph.B. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago in 1918 and 1921, and began teaching educational psychology at the University of Texas in 1922, rising to the rank of Professor by 1928. The next year she accepted an appointment at the University of Chicago as Associate Professor of Child Psychology.

At that time all courses in childcare, developmental psychology, and preschool education were under the direction of the Department of Home Economics. Koch taught the child development sequence, and also became involved with nursery school education. Appointed to the board of directors of the University Cooperative Nursery School in 1931, she was named director in 1933, which gave her responsibility for the selection of staff, the educational program, and psychological research conducted in the school by graduate students. The school was acquired by the University in 1938, becoming the University of Chicago Nursery School. Koch's title was changed to coordinator, and she also participated on the Committee on Human Development, which administered the school. During World War II, Koch used her experience to develop training programs and teaching techniques for the large numbers of teachers needed in the War Nurseries.

In 1948 Koch was relieved from her duties with the Nursery School in order to devote more time to research. The Home Economics Department was being reorganized at the same time and her appointment was shifted to the Committee on Human Development and the Department of Psychology, as those two bodies took over responsibility for the child development courses. It was during this period that Koch published a number of important monographs on sibling relationships.

Retiring from the University in 1960, Helen Koch remained active, publishing the book Twins and Twin Relations in 1966. She died in 1977.