<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-12-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000094887</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STRIDE RITE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SRR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192585</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SLOSBERG MYLES J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>191 SPRING STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LEXINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02421</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-12-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>115.21</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.7800</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.25 par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>115.2100</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>115.2100</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">one-for-one</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The phantom stock units represent shares of stock awarded to the director under The Stride Rite Corporation's Non-employee Director Stock Ownership Plan but which were deferred under The Stride Rite Corporation's Director's Deferred Compensation Plan and are to be settled in shares of stock, in either a lump sum or installments as elected by the director at the time of deferral, following the end of the calendar year in which the reporting person ceases to be a director.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The phantom stock units were accrued under The Stride Rite Corporation's director's deferred compensation plan and are to be settled in shares of stock following the end of the calendar year in which the reporting person ceases to be a director.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Charles W. Redepenning</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-12-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2005-12-15
0
0000094887
STRIDE RITE CORP
SRR
0001192585
SLOSBERG MYLES J
191 SPRING STREET
LEXINGTON
MA
02421
1
0
0
0
Phantom Stock
2005-12-15
4
A
0
115.21
12.7800
A
Common Stock, $.25 par value
115.2100
115.2100
D
one-for-one
The phantom stock units represent shares of stock awarded to the director under The Stride Rite Corporation's Non-employee Director Stock Ownership Plan but which were deferred under The Stride Rite Corporation's Director's Deferred Compensation Plan and are to be settled in shares of stock, in either a lump sum or installments as elected by the director at the time of deferral, following the end of the calendar year in which the reporting person ceases to be a director.
The phantom stock units were accrued under The Stride Rite Corporation's director's deferred compensation plan and are to be settled in shares of stock following the end of the calendar year in which the reporting person ceases to be a director.
By: /s/ Charles W. Redepenning
2005-12-16