Carlson Fund Grant

Charlotte L. Carlson - A Special Friend

The Carlson Funds are mentioned as being the source of support for several Foundation grants. So who was this special benefactor? Charlotte Carlson was a graduate of Northwestern University, earning both Bachelor and Master degrees. She was hired by Carleton Washburne and began her career at Hubbard Woods School teaching fourth grade. Charlotte later moved on to The Skokie School as a sixth grade Social Studies teacher and subsequently chaired the Social Studies Department.

As a teacher, Charlotte was known to be capable and positive. A fellow teacher recalls her as a “smiling upbeat lady (who) was at ease with her students who all seemed as cheerful in her presence as I was.” She was also known for her love of gardening and was in charge of the greenhouse at Skokie School. Charlotte left a long legacy in the community, teaching in the Winnetka Public Schools from 1935 through 1972.

When Charlotte passed away in 2002 at age 90, she surprised the recently founded Winnetka Public Schools Foundation with a very generous gift of $200,000. Half of this amount was designated as the Mary Keegan Science Funds in honor of a teacher by that name. It was specified that this money be used for the continuing education of science teachers.

The other half was an unrestricted gift that the WPSF board determined would be used to provide community education, to fund teacher initiatives and to support educator training.

The Foundation is grateful to Ms. Carlson for her generosity in providing these transformational gifts.