Wiggin, Kate Douglas Smith, 1856-1923

American author and educator.

From the description of Papers of Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin, 1887-1923. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 31083790

Wiggin was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of Robert N. Smith and Helen E. Dyer. Her father died when she was three. She and her mother then moved to Maine, the setting of most of her future books. Three years later, her mother married Albion Bradbury. At 17, she moved with her family to Santa Barbara (Calif.). There she was trained in the Froebel kindergaren theory and opened Silver St. Kindergarten, the first free kindergarten in the western U.S., in the slums of San Francisco. In 1881 she married Samuel B. Wiggin. The kindergarten was then operated by her sister, Nora Smith, but Kate continued to direct her training school until she and her husband moved to N.Y. in 1884. In 1883 she published her first story. After her husband died in 1889, Kate wrote many more books, including Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903), a children's classic. In 1895 she married George C. Riggs. She died in 1923 in England. (Information from American National Biography online.).

From the description of A prayer in the presence of death, 1915. (Clarke Historical Library). WorldCat record id: 48990909

Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856-1923) was a pioneer of the kindergarten movement in the United States in the nineteenth century. She helped to establish the Silver Street Kindergarten in San Francisco in 1878, the first free kindergarten in California. She also co-founded the California Kindergarten Training School for aspiring kindergarten teachers in 1880. In addition to kindergarten training and advocacy, Wiggin was a prolific author of books for children, including the well-known Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903) and Mother Carey's chickens (1911). Wiggin also published a number of works on kindergarten theory and method as well as fiction for adults. Wiggin's teaching philosophy was based on the writings of Friedrich Froebel, a German educator who established the concept of kindergarten in the 1830s. In her three-volume work on kindergarten philosophy, The Republic of childhood (1895-96), Wiggin modeled her lessons on Froebel's "Gifts and Occupations". These activities were taught to students at her kindergarten training school and resulted in sample books like those in this collection.

From the description of Kate Douglas Wiggin collection, circa 1880-1915. (San Jose Public Library). WorldCat record id: 643349430

Wiggin, British-born but considered an American author, notably of children's stories. Among her noted novels is: Rebecca of sunnybrook farm (1903).

From the description of [Letter, 18]92 Nov. 1, Hotel Albert, 11th St., N. Y. [to] Miss Rodman / Kate Douglas Wiggin. (Smith College). WorldCat record id: 491436919

Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin was an author and kindergarten teacher. For biographical information, see Notable American Women, 1607-1950 (1971).

From the description of Papers, n.d. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 232007364

Author.

From the description of Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin correspondence, 1916 November 3. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70980357

Kate Douglas Wiggin was an American author and educator. She was the author of numerous popular children's stories and anthologies, romantic novels for adults, and plays adapted from her stories; her most popular and enduring work was probably Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. She was an integral contributor to the kindergarten movement in America, establishing the first free kindergarten in California and founding a school for kindergarten teachers.

From the description of Kate Douglas Wiggin letter and card, probably 1895. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 56550719