Katherine M. Cook
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Katherine Margaret O'Brien was born in Lanesboro, Minnesota, on May 15, 1876. Her parents were Daniel and Elizabeth (Monahan) O'Brien.
She was educated at West High School Denver, Colorado; State Teachers College, Greeley, Colorado (A.B. degree, 1910); Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City (A.M. degree, 1912).
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Career
Cook taught at rural schools in Colorado, and elementary schools in Denver. She served as county superintendent of schools, Adams County, Colorado (1905-09); Colorado state superintendent of public instruction (1909-10); principal of the Nevada County Normal School in Panaca, Nevada, and principal of the County High School (1912-15).
On February 1, 1915, in Washington, D.C., she joined the Division of Rural Education at the U.S. Bureau of Education, serving as secretary before becoming the division chief in 1922. In 1946, she retired from her government position of chief, Division of Special Problems, Office of Education, at HEW.
"She traveled all over the United States and its territories, studying and evaluating rural school conditions, once hopping from school to school in Alaska in a small plane." (Evening Star, June 9, 1962)
She was the author of numerous bulletins and leaflets of the Bureau of Education. She was also a contributor to educational magazines such as Journal of Rural Education, School and Society, and School Board Journal on various educational subjects. Cook was the co-author of The Consolidation of Rural schools and a contributor to Book of Rural Life.
Cook was a member of National Education Association, American Association of University Women, and American Country Life Association.
Personal life
In June 1896, she married Charles K. Cook, of Denver. They had one son who died young.
In politics, she was a Democrat. In religion, she was Catholic.
In February 1915, she left Denver and became a resident of Washington, D.C.
Katherine Cook died Silver Spring, Maryland, June 5, 1962; interment was in Denver.