s ▁de an ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁making ▁her ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁de an ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Abb ott ▁was ▁for em ost ▁an ▁educ ator ▁and ▁saw ▁her ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁legal ▁studies ▁and ▁human itar ian ▁work ▁which ▁shows ▁in ▁her ▁social ▁security ▁legisl ation . ▁She ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁an ▁econom ist ▁who ▁purs ued ▁implementing ▁social ▁work ▁at ▁the ▁gradu ate ▁level . ▁Her ▁younger ▁sister ▁was ▁Grace ▁Abb ott . ▁ ▁Social ▁work ▁will ▁never ▁become ▁a ▁profession — except ▁through ▁the ▁professional ▁schools ▁ ▁The ▁Ed ith ▁Abb ott ▁Memorial ▁Library , ▁in ▁Grand ▁Island , ▁Neb r aska , ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁her . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Ed ith ▁was ▁born ▁September ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁in ▁Grand ▁Island , ▁Neb r aska . ▁Her ▁father , ▁O th man ▁Abb ott , ▁was ▁a ▁lawyer ▁and ▁Neb r aska ' s ▁first ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁( 1 8 7 7 – 1 8 7 9 ). ▁Her ▁mother , ▁Elizabeth ▁Griff in , ▁was ▁an ▁abol ition ist ▁and ▁suff rage ▁leader . ▁Both ▁parents ▁inst illed ▁values ▁of ▁women ' s ▁rights , ▁equality , ▁and ▁social ▁reform ▁into ▁Ed ith ▁and ▁her ▁sister ▁Grace , ▁insp iring ▁their ▁future ▁work . ▁Grace ▁Abb ott ▁had ▁many ▁accomplish ments ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁social ▁worker , ▁child ▁labor ▁legisl ation ▁reform er , ▁and ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Children ' s ▁Bureau