She graduated from Bouvé Boston School, received her Masters and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and took post doctoral studies at Chelsea College and Worcester College, both in England. From the mid ’50s to mid ’60s she played on the US Women’s Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams and in 1957 was a member of the US Women’s Lacrosse Touring Team to Great Britain and Northern Ireland. She was inducted into Northeastern University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976.

For 27 years, Kate was affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. There, she taught undergraduate teacher education majors and advised both masters and doctoral students, many of whom now hold prominent positions in colleges and universities across the country. From 1989 to 1992 she served as Director of Teacher Education in UNCG’s School of Education.

In addition to her teaching and administrative work, Kate has done important research on how children develop skill in movement, leading to more effective ways to teach motor skills. She has published over 55 professional articles (including two text books) and made presentations and led workshops nation-wide. She has received grants for her research and national awards from professional organizations.

Retired since 1997, Kate now has time to pursue her interest in art and has been a member of UNCG’s Board of Trustees since 2006.

We recognize Kate Barrett today as a worthy recipient of the Margaret Bailey Speer Award—as someone who has shown courage for the deed and grace for the doing in a lifelong commitment to education. She has pursued her goal, she has excelled in her field, and she has made substantial contributions to physical education. She has brought credit to herself and to The Shipley School.

Acceptance Speech

Receiving this award is a very special honor and one I shall value always. I thank all of you who thought me worthy of such recognition.

This award is particularly meaningful, for two reasons. First, it carries the name of Miss Speer, and thus, honors her legacy. Second, Shipley meant something to me – it gave me a core of beliefs and values that have stood the test of time and became the scaffolding on which I was able to build an exciting future.

In today’s vernacular, Shipley gave me a “total makeover”. I was 14 when I came, a boarder, and didn’t want to be here. You don’t spend 10 months/year for four years as a teen-ager, in the hands of an astonishing faculty who in turn were embraced by Miss Speer’s profound humanitarian leadership style, and graduate untouched! It simply was not possible. So what was “The Shipley Touch” – 55 years ago?

I came to grasp the deeper meaning of:

• excellence – striving for it, reaching it, respecting it, committed to it
• directing one’s own learning and that of others
• caring for people - they matter
• individuality/diversity
• humility over arrogance
• the gift of a creative mind and the beauty and grace of the human body in motion

I had many special experiences while at Shipley – among them was acting in the Shaw play: You Never Can Tell. Shaw, with his sophisticated wit and wisdom became one of my favorite playwrights. In fact, I often wear a T-shirt emblazoned with one of his famous quotes and I would like to leave you with it:

“LIFE ISN’T ABOUT FINDING YOURSELF. LIFE IS ABOUT CREATING YOURSELF.” That is what Shipley allowed me to do and I am most grateful to her.