<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- - EDGAR Ease Plus 1.0                                   04/22/03  TZ    -->
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
   <periodOfReport>2003-07-09</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000094887</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STRIDE RITE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>srr</issuerTradingSymbol>
   </issuer>
   <reportingOwner>
      <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192592</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>THORNTON RICHARD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
         <isDirector>0</isDirector>
         <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
         <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
         <isOther>0</isOther>
         <officerTitle>President and COO</officerTitle>
       </reportingOwnerRelationship>
   </reportingOwner>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Option to Buy</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
         <value>10.23</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-07-09</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>16667</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionValue>
           <value>170503</value>
         </transactionValue>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
         <value>2004-07-09</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
         <value>2013-07-09</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
         <underlyingSecurityTitle>
           <value>Common Stock, $.25 par value</value>
         </underlyingSecurityTitle>
         <underlyingSecurityShares>
           <value>16667</value>
         </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>235000</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
           <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Option to Buy</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
         <value>10.23</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-07-09</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>16667</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionValue>
           <value>170503</value>
         </transactionValue>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
         <value>2005-07-09</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
         <value>2013-07-09</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
         <underlyingSecurityTitle>
           <value>Common Stock, $.25 par value</value>
         </underlyingSecurityTitle>
         <underlyingSecurityShares>
           <value>16667</value>
         </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>251667</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
           <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Option to Buy</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
         <value>10.23</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-07-09</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>16666</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionValue>
           <value>170493</value>
         </transactionValue>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
         <value>2006-07-09</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
         <value>2013-07-09</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
         <underlyingSecurityTitle>
           <value>Common Stock, $.25 par value</value>
         </underlyingSecurityTitle>
         <underlyingSecurityShares>
           <value>16666</value>
         </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>268333</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
           <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <ownerSignature>
      <signatureName>Richard T. Thornton</signatureName>
      <signatureDate>2003-07-10</signatureDate>
   </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "thornton070903_ex.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6333}]
X0101
4
2003-07-09
0000094887
STRIDE RITE CORP
srr
0001192592
THORNTON RICHARD
0
1
0
0
President and COO
Option to Buy
10.23
2003-07-09
4
A
0
16667
170503
A
2004-07-09
2013-07-09
Common Stock, $.25 par value
16667
235000
D
Option to Buy
10.23
2003-07-09
4
A
0
16667
170503
A
2005-07-09
2013-07-09
Common Stock, $.25 par value
16667
251667
D
Option to Buy
10.23
2003-07-09
4
A
0
16666
170493
A
2006-07-09
2013-07-09
Common Stock, $.25 par value
16666
268333
D
Richard T. Thornton
2003-07-10