In the 1960s, Flemmie Kittrell, a Black home economist at Howard University, conducted an experimental preschool program for poor Black children. She aimed to improve their lives through comprehensive care, nutritious food, and fun activities. This podcast explores Flemmie's journey, her college experience, and the effectiveness of the Head Start program. It also highlights her contributions to early childhood development and the overshadowing of her work in history.
Quality preschool programs can boost children's IQ and language abilities, but the long-term effects may fade by the third grade.
Flemmie Kittrell played a significant role in the creation of Head Start, a federal program that positively impacts children from low-income families and improves their educational outcomes.
Deep dives
Flemi Catrell's Journey in Home Economics
Flemi Catrell, a black home economist, conducted groundbreaking research in the 1960s on raising a child. She believed that there was a science to child-rearing and sought to prove it through her work. She set up nurseries as research labs where she observed children closely to develop the art and science of raising them. Flemi was particularly interested in how these nurseries could benefit poor children and prepare them for school. Her research showed that a quality nursery program could boost children's IQ and language abilities. However, the long-term effects appeared to fade as children reached the third grade. Despite the initial gloomy report, subsequent studies have shown that early interventions like Head Start, an expansion of Flemi's work, have long-lasting positive effects on children's educational outcomes and life trajectories.
The Legacy of Flemi Catrell in Early Childhood Development
Flemi Catrell's work in early childhood development had a lasting impact on the field. She played a significant role in the creation and implementation of Head Start, a federal program that has served more than 38 million children since its launch in 1965. Flemi's expertise in child development and her commitment to ensuring that disadvantaged children have access to quality care shaped the Head Start program. Despite not always receiving due credit, her contributions to creating instructional materials and training childcare workers were pivotal. Head Start continues to positively impact children from low-income families, improving their chances of graduating high school and attending college.
The Challenges Faced by Flemi Catrell
Flemi Catrell faced various challenges throughout her career. Home economics, the field she was deeply rooted in, was falling out of favor during the 1960s. The perception of home economics as merely teaching domestic skills led to its diminished importance and recognition. Additionally, as early childhood development emerged as a separate field of research, the presence of more men and diminishing opportunities for women further marginalized home economics. Despite these challenges, Flemi remained dedicated to her work and travelled extensively to study malnutrition and establish home economics departments abroad.
The Enduring Importance of Flemi Catrell's Approach
Flemi Catrell's approach to early childhood development continues to be relevant and influential today. Her emphasis on taking children's well-being and education seriously, looking at them holistically, and providing a safe and nurturing environment is mirrored in modern parenting practices. The principles she championed are evident in the enduring success of programs like Head Start, which provide children with more than just care but also educational support and resources. Flemi's legacy lives on in the millions of children who have benefited from her dedication to improving their lives through early interventions.
In the 1960s, a Black home economist at Howard University recruited kids for an experimental preschool program. All were Black and lived in poor neighborhoods around campus.
Flemmie Kittrell had grown up poor herself, just two generations removed from slavery, and she’d seen firsthand the effects of poverty. While Flemmie earned a PhD from Cornell, most of her siblings didn’t make it to college. One of her sisters died at just 22 years old of malnutrition. And it was the combination of these experiences that drove Flemmie to apply her academic training to help improve the lives of people in her community.
In the early 1960s, Flemmie decided to see what would happen if you gave poor kids a boost early in life, in the form of a really great preschool. Every day for two years, parents would get free childcare, and their kids would get comprehensive care for body and mind—with plenty of nutritious food, fun activities, and hugs. What kind of difference would that make? And would it matter later on?
