Miss Starbeck shows up often in Winnie's diaries and they clearly had a close relationship. I was curious to find out what I could about her.
Catherine Starbeck was born January 31, 1886 in Emporia, Kansas. Her father, John H. Starbeck was born in Illinois about 1852 to immigrant parents, his father from Germany and his mother from Ireland. Her mother, Anna O'Connor Starbeck, was also born in Illinois about 1858 to Irish immigrant parents. The Starbecks had six children: John, Laura, Catherine, Roy, Harry and Hugh, and moved to Kansas from Illinois some time in the early 1880's. The family seems to have stayed put at the family home at 328 South Mechanic Street in Emporia for many years and her father worked as a carpenter.
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| Yearbook from the Kansas State Normal School |
In the fall of 1909 she was hired by the Burlingame High School as an instructor in "the domestic arts and other branches." In the fall of 1910, she started a girls drill team. From the Burlingame Enterprise of 27 October, 1910, "Miss Starbeck is drilling about forty-five young lady students of the Burlingame school in military maneuvers, marchings, etc.; also in calisthenic exercises. The young ladies will drill twice a week in the Armory which has been kindly furnished to them free of charge. Such exercise is designed to promote strength and gracefulness and is also very healthful. This feature in connection with our school is certainly the right thing to do and should be encouraged." She stayed in Burlingame for a few years, but also taught in Marion and Medicine Lodge before returning to Emporia where she was living with her parents and teaching at the Normal School (or Kansas State Teachers College) in 1920.
By 1930, she had moved to Chicago, got her Master's Degree from Loyola University, and continued to teach. After she retired, she spent her last years in California where she died at the age of 83.
