- Julia Lathrop
Infobox Person
name=Julia Lathrop
image_size = 200px
caption=Miss Julia Lathrop at the Children's Bureau
birth_date=June 29 ,1858
birth_place=Rockford, Illinois
death_date=April 15 ,1932
death_place=Rockford, Illinois Julia Lathrop (
June 29 ,1858 -April 15 ,1932 ), was an American social reformer.The daughter of
William Lathrop , she was born inRockford, Illinois . Julia's father had helped establish the Republican Party and served in the state legislature (1856-57) and Congress (1877-79).Lathrop attended
Rockford Female Seminary where she metJane Addams andEllen Gates Starr . After graduating fromVassar College in 1880 she worked in her father's law office.In 1890 Lathrop moved to
Chicago where she joined Jane Addams, Ellen Gates Starr,Alzina Stevens ,Edith Abbott ,Grace Abbott ,Florence Kelley ,Mary McDowell ,Alice Hamilton ,Sophonisba Breckinridge and other social reformers atHull House .In 1893 Lathrop was appointed as the first ever woman member of the Illinois State Board of Charities. Over the next few years she helped introduce reforms such as the appointment of female doctors in state hospitals and the removal of the insane from the state workhouses.
The women at Hull House were active in the campaign to persuade Congress to pass legislation to protect children. In 1912 President
William Taft appointed Lathrop as the first head of the newly created Children's Bureau. Over the next nine years Lathrop directed research into child labor, infant mortality, mother mortality, juvenile delinquency, mothers' pensions and illegitimacy.In 1925 Lathrop was appointed to the Child Welfare Committee established by the League of Nations.
There are residence halls named after Lathrop at Rockford and Vassar Colleges.
External links
* [http://vcencyclopedia.vassar.edu/index.php/Julia_Lathrop Julia Lathrop at Vassar College]
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