Esther Forbes Knittl
Before embarking on a teaching career at Horace Mann that spanned nearly 40 years, Esther Forbes Knittl graduated from Northwest in 1938 with a degree in elementary education and minors in English, social science and physical education.
After she passed away in June 2002, her children, Karol Frederichs, Suzette Davis and Jim Knittl, wanted to create a scholarship for a student who shares their mother’s love for teaching.
Esther was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and her family moved to Maryville when she was at a young age. Her first teaching job was in a one-room schoolhouse south of Maryville.
Esther eventually went on to receive a master’s degree in early learning education from the University of Missouri-Columbia. After that, she taught the fourth grade at Horace Mann until the end of her career.
Esther pursued her master’s degree and a busy teaching career while raising three children.
Scholarships associated with Esther Forbes Knittl