author
E. R. (Elsie Riach) Murray
1861–1932
A Scottish educator and writer, she helped shape early childhood teaching in Britain through clear, thoughtful books on kindergarten methods and child development. Her work brought Froebel’s ideas to a wider audience and stayed closely tied to classroom practice.
2 Audiobooks
The Child Under Eight
by E. R. (Elsie Riach) Murray, Henrietta Brown Smith
Froebel as a pioneer in modern psychology
by E. R. (Elsie Riach) Murray
About the author
Born in Edinburgh in 1861, Elsie Riach Murray was a Scottish educationist best known for writing about early childhood education and the kindergarten movement. Brunel University’s Maria Grey College archives say she entered Maria Grey Training College in 1893, later returned to lead its kindergarten department in 1898, became Vice-Principal in 1914, and remained there until her retirement in 1926.
Murray’s writing focused on how young children learn through activity, play, and careful guidance rather than rote instruction. Her best-known books include Froebel as a Pioneer in Modern Psychology (1914) and The Child Under Eight (1919), the latter written with Henrietta Brown Smith. Project Gutenberg and library records confirm that these works helped establish her as a practical and influential voice in nursery and infant education.
She died in 1932, but her connection with Maria Grey College remained strong enough that a memorial library was created in her name. Her work still stands out for its calm, humane view of children and for treating early education as something serious, skilled, and deeply important.