Cora Wilson Stewart (January 17, 1875 – December 2, 1958) was an American

progressive era The Progressive Era (late 1890s – late 1910s) was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States focused on defeating corruption, monopoly, waste and inefficiency. The main themes ended during Am ...

social reformer and educator who is well known for her work to eliminate adult

illiteracy Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, huma ...

. In 1911, Stewart was the first woman to be elected to the position of the president of the Kentucky Education Association. Stewart opened Moonlight School, first in Rowan County, Kentucky and then across the United States, to educate illiterate adults at night in the schools where children studied during the day.

Family, early life, and education

Cora Wilson, the daughter of a physician and a schoolteacher, was born January 17, 1875. Her parents Dr. Jeremiah and Annie Eliza (Hally) Wilson were residents of

Rowan County, Kentucky Rowan County (, ) is a County (United States), county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Kentucky, in the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield region. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 24,662. Its coun ...

where she attended . Cora Wilson married Ulysses Grant Carey in 1895, and the couple divorced in 1898 with no children. In 1902, she married Alexander Thomas Stewart, son of William G. and Elizabeth (Patton) Stewart. The couple divorced in 1904 but remarried three months later. In 1907, they had their only child, William Holley Stewart who died in 1908. Cora and Alexander divorced on June 8, 1910.

Moonlight schools

In 1911, Stewart opened Moonlight School in Rowan County, Kentucky to educate illiterate adults at night in the schools where children studied during the day. In 1914, the state created a commission to extend moonlight schools to all counties. In the following two years, 40,000 Kentuckians were taught to read and write. Similar programs were started in 18 states.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Cora Wilson People from Rowan County, Kentucky Educators from Kentucky 1875 births 1958 deaths Kentucky Democrats Kentucky women in education Activists from Kentucky Literacy advocates