The Woman Who Carried Lanesboro to America's Classrooms
Failed to add items
Add to cart failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
The Woman Who Carried Lanesboro to America's Classrooms
-
Narrated by:
-
Written by:
About this listen
From Lanesboro to Washington, D.C., one woman helped shape the future of rural education in America.
In this episode of Roots & Riddles, we trace the remarkable life of Katherine Cook, born in Lanesboro, Minnesota, who rose to become Chief of the Division of Rural Education for the U.S. Bureau of Education. At a time when rural schools were often overlooked, Katherine traveled the country—sometimes by small plane—studying school conditions, advocating for children in isolated communities, and pushing for better education for rural students, minority groups, and children with special needs.
Though her work influenced classrooms nationwide, her story is rarely told today. We explore how a woman from a small river town helped guide national education policy, why her contributions mattered, and how Lanesboro quietly left its mark on America’s schools.
This is a story of leadership, persistence, and a hometown legacy that reached far beyond southeastern Minnesota.