Today In History: Patty Smith Hill Is Born

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Patty,
Happy birthday to you.

Born on March 27th, 1868 in Anchorage, Kentucky, Patty Smith Hill was a leader in the progressive education movement, specifically for early childhood. She served as a nursery school and kindergarten teacher; founder of the National Association for Nursery Education (NANE);  member, President, and advocate for the Association for Childhood Education International; and Professor Emeritus of Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Initially appointed as Assistant Professor of Kindergarten Education in 1910, Patty Smith Hill taught at Teachers College until her retirement in 1935.  She created the The Administrative Board of Child Welfare Research at Teachers College in 1924 and served on it throughout her tenure.

With creative perspective, Hill also developed the concept of constructive play; the Patty Smith Hill blocks were large blocks with which children could interact and imaginatively build structures and scenarios, while learning from each other.

She, along with her older sister Mildred, are credited with co-writing the beloved song, "Happy Birthday to You", now in the public domain, and whose melody was inspired by "Good Morning to All." 

At the unveiling of Patty Smith Hill's portrait on November 8th, 1935, Dean Emeritus James Earl Russell spoke of her "warm, generous nature, her social vision, her regard for human values, and her adventurous, far-ranging spirit, always seeking for new avenues of service, and for new knowledge and experience", and as "a most important factor in the development of the Nursery School ... a powerful factor in protecting the interests of women, particularly the women of Teachers College." -- Portrait of Patty Smith Hill (1936). Teachers College Record (1970), 37(6).

Patty Smith Hill died on May 25th, 1946 and is buried with her sisters Mildred and Jessica, and other family members, in Cave Hill Cemetery and Arboretum in Louisville, Kentucky.

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Resigns Place: Miss Patty Hill to Leave Louisville: Accepts Important Position AT Columbia University: Many Years with Free Kindergarten Associations Wide Fame as Educator.  (1906, Mar 31). Courier-Journal (1869-1922) 
• Tells How War Has Revived Idealism. Professor Cestre Addresses Twentieth Century Club; Miss Patty S. Hill Speaks on Democracy in Education.  (1917, Dec 09). Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922) 
• Finds Mothers Fail as Home Teachers: Professor Patty S. Hill Says They Are Poorly Equipped Today to Guide Children.  (1928, Mar 09). New York Times (1923-) 
• Ideal for 'Parent Who Understands' Set by Educator: Home and School Activities in Teaching Overlapping, Dr. Hill Declares: Receives Service Medal Freedom in Schoolroom Emphasis on Character Building. (1928, Apr 26).The Christian Science Monitor (1908-) 
• Hill, P.S. (1932, Apr 17). The Great Froebel Is Teaching Us Yet: At 150th Anniversary  of Birth, His Ideas, Dr. Hill Says, Are a Force in Education. New York Times (1923-) 
• Hill, P.S. (1933, Apr 16). Guiding the Child's Acts: The Method Used in Progressive Schools to Avoid Both Tyranny and License.  New York Times (1923-) 
• Hill, P.S. (1933, Nov 19). University Reaches Our: Neighborhood Study as Basis for Plan of Improvement Is Sponsored by Columbia. New York Times (1923-) 
• Hill, P.S. (1933, Dec 03). Nation Aids Its Youngest: Relief Program Includes Nursery Schools for Educational and Health Values.  New York Times (1923-) 
• Noted Teacher Will Talk Here.  (1935, Dec 06). The Austin Statesman (1921-1973) 
• Patty Smith hill, Ex-Professor at Columbia, Dies: Pioneer in Development of Kindergarten Teaching; Was on Faculty 30 Years:  Kindergarten Work Pioneer. (1946, May 26). New York Herald Tribune (1926-1962) 

Tips:

• Bailey, C. S. (1931). Who’s Who in the Schools : Patty Smith Hill. [M. Bradley]. TCANA Oversize ; TC3 FH55.
• Fine, B. (1936). Patty Smith Hill : A Great Educator. Place of publication not identified : publisher not identified, 1936. TCANA Oversize ; TC3 FH55.
• Hill, M. J., Hill, P. S., & Bryan, A. E. (1896). Song Stories : For the Kindergarten (New edition, revised and enlarged.). Summy.  Closed Stacks Research ; M1994.H55 S65x 1896.
• Jammer, M. C. (1960). Patty Smith Hill and Reform of the American Kindergarten. New York:  Teachers College. Ed'D. Closed Stacks Dissertations ; 06 no. 3099.
• Portrait of Patty Smith Hill. (2022). Teachers College Record, 37(6), 1-18. (Original work published 1936).
• Ratliff, B. A. (1927). Forty Years in Kindergarten :  An Interview with Patty Smith Hill. [publisher not identified].  Closed Stacks Research ; 370.92 H562.
• The Patty Smith Hill Collection, Teachers College Digital Collections.
• See here for curricular publications by Patty Smith Hill.

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Images:

• Patty Smith Hill, by Eric Maunsbach, 1935. Teachers College Historical Portraiture. Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University.
• Poster Image: Birthday Cupcake, Courtesy of Canva.
• Patty Smith Hill, Bookplate Collection, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University.

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