About Edith Abbott
Edith Abbott was an American economist, statistician, social worker, educator, and author. Abbott was born in Grand Island, Nebraska. Abbott was a pioneer in the profession of social work with an educational background in economics. She was a leading activist in social reform with the ideals that humanitarianism needed to be embedded in education. Abbott was also in charge of implementing social work studies to the graduate level. Though she was met with resistance on her work with social reform at the University of Chicago, she ultimately was successful and was elected as the school's dean in 1924, making her one of the first female deans in the United States. Abbott was foremost an educator and saw her work as a combination of legal studies and humanitarian work which shows in her social security legislation. She is known as an economist who pursued implementing social work at the graduate level. Her younger sister was Grace Abbott.Social work will never become a profession—except through the professional schools. Her father, Othman Ali Abbott, was a lawyer and Nebraska's first Lieutenant Governor (1877–1879). The long-lasting professional partnership between Abbott and Breckinridge first started during their years together at the School of Civics and Philanthropy. She continued to teach for two more years and was eventually awarded a fellowship to the University of Chicago.
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