Author, Educator. Maud McKnight Lindsay, an American educator, published 18 children's books at the beginning of the 20th century. She is known for being the founder of the first free kindergarten in Alabama. Born the youngest daughter of the 22nd Governor of Alabama, Robert Burns Lindsay of Scotland, and his wife, Sarah Miller Winston Lindsay. Her father's mother was Elizabeth McKnight Lindsay, who was her namesake. Born one of nine children, she was one of four surviving to adulthood. Like her siblings, she was homeschooled during her early years. Her father had served as professor of languages at Willingham College in North Carolina. Later, she attended the private school of Deshler Female Institute, where she was introduced to the idea of kindergartens by Jeanne Pittitt Cooper, a prominent kindergarten teacher in Alabama. After graduation, she began to teach music. Shortly afterward, she opened a small kindergarten in her home, but soon realized a school building was needed. With the Florence Free Kindergarten being established on September 3, 1898, she became the principal of the first free kindergarten in Alabama, a role she kept for over 40 years. When this lady of high society began to teach school to children of the working class, she crossed over into another culture, which was not easily accepted by many friends and family members. In 1900 she published her first collection of short stories "Mother Stories," which were rich in rhyme and repetition. In 1905, she published a sequel, "More Mother Stories," a collection of twenty stories for kindergarten children, most of which revolve around farm animals. Her other books include "A Story Garden for Little Children" in 1913, the two-volume "Little Missy" in 1922, "Silverfoot" in 1924, "The Toy Shop" in 1926, "The Choosing Book" in 1928 and "The Amazing Adventures of Ali" in 1931. Several books were translated in various languages. Many of her stories became published for a second time as a part of public-school readers throughout the United States. She lectured on education world-wide. Even though she did not have a college degree, she gave summer lectures on education at New York University with professors attending. Although she always refused, she was offered many teaching positions including with Madame Montessori in her school in Italy. She was a long-time friend of Helen Keller. Besides being an educator and author, she was a philanthropist. She never married and died in her sleep. In 1995 she was inducted into the Alabama's Women's Hall of Fame. A historic marker honoring her was erected on September 3, 1970 on Cole Street near Old Brandon Elementary School in East Florence. In 2019, the original building of the Maud Lindsay Free Kindergarten was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and although relocated three times to different sites, the three-room wooden-frame school is still in operation in the 21st century.