McMillan, Rachel (1859–1917)

English educationalist. Born Mar 25, 1859, in New York; died Mar 25, 1917, in London, England; dau. of James McMillan and Jean McMillan (Scottish immigrants); sister of Margaret McMillan (1860–1931); attended Inverness High School.

Educationalist and Christian Socialist who pioneered child health measures and pre-school education, was born in NY to parents who had emigrated from Inverness, Scotland (1840); following death of father and sister Elizabeth to scarlet fever (1865), returned to Scotland with mother and sister Margaret; joined sister in London (1888) and became junior superintendent in home for young girls; began contributing to Christian Socialist magazine; aided workers during 1889 London Dock Strike; toured industrial regions with sister, speaking at meetings and visiting homes of poor; joined Fabian Society, Labor Church, Social Democratic Federation and newly formed Independent Labor Party; joined Dr. James Kerr, Bradford's medical officer, in carrying out 1st medical inspection of elementary school children in Britain, publishing report on findings and campaigning for such radical innovations as installation of bathrooms and improved ventilation as well as free school meals; won election as Independent Labor Party candidate for Bradford School Board (1894); returned to London (1902) and joined Labor Party, working closely with leaders James Keir Hardie, George Lansbury and others; won passage of Provision of School Meals Act (1906); with sister, opened England's 1st school clinic in Bow (1908), followed by Deptford (1910), providing dental care and surgical aid; supported universal suffrage; started Rachel McMillan Open Air Nursery School and Training Center in Peckham (1914), which would become blueprint for future nursery schools; wrote Child Labour and the Half Time System (1896), Early Childhood (1900), Education Through the Imagination (1904) and The Economic Aspects of Child Labour and Education (1905).