Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History
Sauer, Anne
Branco, Jessica
Bennett, John
Crowley, Zachary
2000
Chandler, Martha, 1894-1984
Martha Chandler (1894-1984), an early childhood educator, played a prominent role in establishing the Eliot-Pearson School on Tufts' Medford campus. | |
Born December 5, 1894, Chandler graduated from Smith College in 1917 and received a Master of Education degree from Harvard. She also obtained a certificate from the Ruggles Street Nursery School and Training Center, beginning her career in early childhood education. She taught for several years in Cambridge, and then organized and directed a nursery school at Wheaton College. From 1940 to 1944, she served as director of the Ruggles Street Nursery School in Boston. When the school transformed into the Nursery Training School of Boston, Chandler held the position of Supervisor of Student Teaching. | |
When the school moved to Tufts' campus, she remained as a member of the faculty. From 1957 to 1959, Chandler was acting director of the program, which was by then known as the Eliot-Pearson School. Her specialization was in literature for young children and she was instrumental in assembling a valuable library for the Eliot-Pearson Department. She retired in 1967 after forty years of work in early childhood education. In January 1984, Chandler died in Charlotte, North Carolina. | |
Chandler House on the Medford campus was named in her honor. | |
Source: VF, SSDI | |
Subject terms: |