Ruth Emma Mitten

Ruth Emma Mitten (1876–1942) was an American educator who served for five consecutive terms as county superintendent of schools of Harvey County, Kansas.

Early life and education Ruth Emma Mitten was born at Troy Grove, Illinois. She came of a family of educators and farmers. The Mitten family originally came from England to New Jersey in Colonial times. Mitten grew up on her father's Illinois farm.

Career Coming to Kansas in 1902, Mitten made her home at Newton, where her parents had lived. Her first teaching in Kansas was as principal of a grade school in El Dorado for one year, but subsequently, she taught in Harvey County, either in rural schools or the city schools of Newton. She also opposed using money raised by taxation for German Schools, asserting that she did not intend to allow any community in the county to violate the law..

Mitten had a large and well organized school service under her supervision, the county having 75 schools, 125 teachers and an enrollment of 5,730 students. Mitten's offices were in the courthouse at Newton, and since beginning her term as county superintendent, she made her home in Newton. she retired and moved to Montana but returned to Kansas four years before her death.