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Thank Thorndyke teacher for 'Dick and Jane'
BY PAT BRODIN
TUKWILA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Hearing about all the "back to school"
sales means that classes are just around
the corner. Many will recall the reading
series that was instrumental in helping a
generation of new readers called the "Dick
and Jane" books. What you may not know
is that a former Thorndyke Elementary
School teacher, Elizabeth Rider Montgom-
ery, wrote and co-authored eight of the sto-
ries in the "Dick and Jane" texts that began
use in first -grade classrooms across the
country in the 1940s and 1950s.
Elizabeth Rider was born in Huaras,
Peru, on July 12, 1902, the daughter of mis-
sionary parents. Her parents returned to
the United States, first to Independence,
Mo., when she was a year and a half old
and then later to Seattle. She taught from
1921 to 1924 in the two -room Thorndyke
Tukwila Historical Society
School. As an el-
ementary school
teacher, she was
convinced that the
quality of primary
readers needed
improving and she
set out to write a
better one. Seven
years and sev-
eral attempts later
"Look and See"
featuring the char-
acters of Dick and
Jane was published
in 1940. Elizabeth
Montgomery be-
came a staff writer for Scott, Foresman Co.
where she published 14 additional books
and a six -part series entitled "Health for
All" between the years 1940-1965.
Ms. Montgomery was a prolific author
Elizabeth
Montgomery
taught at Thorndyke
Elementary from 1921
to 1924.
tukwila's
and gained acclaim as a juvenile non-fic-
tion writer with 13 juvenile fiction novels,
34 juvenile non-fiction books, one adult
fiction title, eight plays, plus numerous
magazine articles. During her 40-year
career as a professional writer, she was
awarded the National Presswomen and
Penwomen awards as well as several na-
tional awards for her plays. Not bad con-
sidering a humble beginning in art, then
finding her passion in a brief yet pivotal
time in a Tukwila school.
Pat Brodin is treasurer of the Tukwila
Historical Society. The society operates the
Tukwila Heritage and Cultural Center,
14475 59th Ave. S., Tukwila. Reach the cen-
ter by phone at 206-244-HIST or via email
at tukwilaheritagectr@tukwilahistory.org.