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

    <documentType>4</documentType>
   <periodOfReport>2003-07-01</periodOfReport>
   <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000094887</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STRIDE RITE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>srr</issuerTradingSymbol>
   </issuer>
   <reportingOwner>
      <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001189980</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>AKYUZ YUSEF</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>Chief Information Officer</officerTitle>
       </reportingOwnerRelationship>
   </reportingOwner>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock, $.25 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-07-01</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>1590</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionValue>
           <value>6.681</value>
         </transactionValue>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
     <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>14587</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <footnotes>
<footnote id="F1"> The shares were acquired under the Stride Rite Employee Stock Purchase Plan</footnote>
   </footnotes>
   <ownerSignature>
      <signatureName>Charles W. Redepenning by power of attorney</signatureName>
      <signatureDate>2003-07-02</signatureDate>
   </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "akyuz070103_ex.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2752}]
X0101
4
2003-07-01
0
0000094887
STRIDE RITE CORP
srr
0001189980
AKYUZ YUSEF
0
1
0
0
Chief Information Officer
Common Stock, $.25 par value
2003-07-01
4
J
0
1590
6.681
A
14587
D
The shares were acquired under the Stride Rite Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Charles W. Redepenning by power of attorney
2003-07-02