Martha M. Simpson
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Martha M. Simpson
| image = Martha M. Simpson book.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = from her 1914 report
| birth_name = Martha Margaret Mildred Simpson
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1865|05|03}}
| birth_place = Omagh, Tyrone, Ireland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1948|06|07|1865|05|03}}
| death_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| death_cause =
| other_names =
| known_for = advocate for Montessoti education
| education =
| employer =
| occupation = educationalist
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
| nationality = Irish Australian
}}
Martha Margaret Mildred Simpson (pen name, Innisfail; 3 May 1865 – 7 June 1948) was an Irish-born Australian educational theorist and poet. She was responsible for pioneering new education methods in Australia, including promoting kindergarten education, supervised playgrounds and hospital schools.
Biography
Martha Margaret Mildred Simpson was born 3 May 1865 in County Tyrone, Ireland.Bruce Mitchell, [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/simpson-martha-margaret-mildred-8434/text14823 'Simpson, Martha Margaret Mildred (1865–1948)'], Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1988, accessed online 1 May 2024.
She taught at New South Wales schools, including Wyee, Carrow Brook, Tea Tree, Tea Gardens, Woerden and Tamworth.
Simpson became the first Lecturer in kindergarten studies at the Sydney Teachers' College in 1908. In the following year, Simpson published a work entitled "Work in the kindergarten : an Australian programme, based on the life and customs of the Australian Black".{{Citation|title=Work in the kindergarten : an Australian programme, based on the life and customs of the Australian Black|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12855246|date=1909|author1=Simpson, M. M. (Martha Margaret)|author2=Sydney Teachers College. Education Society|publisher=Teachers' College|accessdate=12 February 2017}}
File:Martha M. Simpson report children.jpg
In 1912, the New South Wales government sent Simpson to Europe to learn about the Montessori Method of education from Dr. Montessori herself.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15443893|title=TEACHING IN MANY LANDS.|date=20 August 1913|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|issue=23,591|page=7|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=11 February 2017}} These principles were practiced at the demonstration school.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105469907|title=OUR WOMEN WORKERS|date=14 November 1914|newspaper=The Daily Herald|issue=1450|location=Adelaide|volume=5 |page=11|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=12 February 2017}} In 1914, Simpson published her "Report on the Montessori Methods of Education".Simpson, M., & New South Wales. Department of Education. (1914). REPORT ON THE MONTESSORI METHODS OF EDUCATION. SYDNEY : W. A. GULLICK, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, 1914. Simpson became the first female Inspector of Infant Schools for New South Wales in 1917.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16663261|title=FOR WOMEN|date=23 April 1930|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|issue=28,798|page=7|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=11 February 2017}} Simpson was also responsible for the kindergarten section of Blackfriars Demonstration School, part of the Sydney Teachers' College. Her early students included Amy Rowntree, who would carry the kindergarten message on to Tasmania.{{Citation |last=Rodwell |first=Grant |title=Amy Rowntree (1885–1962) |work=Australian Dictionary of Biography |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rowntree-amy-8289 |access-date=2024-04-30 |place=Canberra |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |language=en}}
In 1920, Simpson travelled to the US to further study education methods, and returned with ideas on improving the health of students. These ideas were implemented at Blackfriars, including nutritious lunches and a milk allowance.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29821691|title=INFANT EDUCATION|date=20 November 1930|newspaper=The Mercury|issue=19,747|location=Tasmania|volume=CXXXIII |page=10|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=12 February 2017}}
Simpson retired from education in 1930 and the following year unsuccessfully stood for election for the New South Wales district of Annandale.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167053855|title=WOMAN CANDIDATE CONTESTS ANNANDALE BY-ELECTION, N.S.W.|date=24 April 1931|newspaper=The Southern Cross|issue=2144|location=South Australia|volume=XLII |page=15|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=11 February 2017}}
Simpson was a poet, and her works include "To an old grammar",{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116969355|title=FORGOTTEN GEMS|date=8 December 1917|newspaper=The Mirror|issue=24|location=Sydney|page=8|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=11 February 2017}}{{Cite web |last=Simpson |first=Martha M. |date=2004-01-01 |title=To An Old Grammar Poem by Martha M Simpson |url=https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-an-old-grammar/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=Poem Hunter |language=en-us}} which was published in An Anthology of Australian Verse,{{Cite web |title=To An Old Grammar |url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C476722 |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=AustLit: Discover Australian Stories |publisher=The University of Queensland}} and "Friendship's Tribute", which was published under the pen name "Innisfail".
References
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External links
- {{Australian Women and Leadership|WLE0474b|Simpson, Martha (1865–1948)}}
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Category:Australian educational theorists
Category:19th-century Australian women
Category:20th-century Australian women