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History

The community that would eventually become Catherine Cook School was founded in 1975 as the Melrose Cooperative Nursery School, housed in the Jewish Community Center. Soon after, it added lower grades to existing preschool programs. In 1985, the school moved to Immaculate Conception Church, next-door to its current location. By 1990, the school's population had grown enough that it was able to purchase and renovate the B&B Shoe Company building at 226 West Schiller. Alex Anagnost, the building's owner, agreed to sell if the trustees would name the school after his late mother, Catherine Cook.

The best evidence of our success is the daily stream of children who enter our school with a smile and a lively step in eager anticipation of a productive day in their school community.

With more spirit and determination than funds, a passionate group of teachers and parents opened the renovated building in 1992. As the school continued to grow, a transition to a professional administrative structure took place. Catherine Cook School was officially incorporated in 1995. The Board of Trustees rewrote its bylaws and, in 1997, Catherine Cook reorganized into its current incarnation as an independent school.

Catherine Cook has grown rapidly since that time and stands today as a testimony to the vision, commitment, and care of creative teachers, parents, and trustees. The best evidence of our success is the daily stream of children who enter our school with a smile and a lively step in eager anticipation of a productive day in their school community.

Catherine Cook: A Brief Biography

Catherine Cook School Dedication PlaqueCatherine Cook immigrated to the United States from Greece at the age of ten without benefit of wealth or knowledge of English. She earned a Diploma in Commerce from Northwestern University and a Certificate in Public Accounting from the University of Illinois. She also earned her law degree under the Law Office Study Provision, reading law under the tutelage of her husband, Themis Anagnost, and passing the Illinois Bar exam in 1948 on the initial sitting.

One of the first women in the United States to qualify as both an attorney and a certified public accountant, Ms. Cook was elected in 1955 as president of the Hellenic Bar Association. Three years later, she was elected president of the West Suburban Bar Association. She later became president of the National Association of Women Lawyers, a member of the House of Delegates, and a Fellow of the American Bar Association. In 1980, she became the first woman ever to run for the Illinois Supreme Court. Involved in numerous organizations, she served on the advisory council of the New York World's Fair, the Board of Directors of the Girl Scouts' Chicago Chapter, and the Beverly Farm Foundation for Retarded Children.

It is fitting that Catherine Cook School is named after an individual who overcame significant obstacles, stood for perseverance and hard work, and made a significant difference in her community. As a committed parent, a well-known lawyer, and a civic leader, Catherine Cook embodied our school's core values through her life, her accomplishments, and her spirit.