EXHIBIT 5.1

                                       June 21, 1999


The Stride Rite Corporation
191 Spring Street
Lexington, MA 02421

      Re:   The Stride Rite Corporation
            Registration on Form S-8 of Securities
            Under the 1998 Stock Option Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      This opinion is furnished in connection with the registration  pursuant to
the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),  of 1,500,000  shares (the
"Shares") of Common Stock, par value $.25 per share (the "Common Stock"), of The
Stride Rite  Corporation  (the  "Company")  which may be issued  pursuant to the
Company's 1998 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

      We  have  acted  as  counsel  to  the  Company  in  connection   with  the
registration of the Shares under the Act. We have examined the Restated Articles
of Organization,  as amended and the By-Laws of the Company; such records of the
corporate  proceedings of the Company as we deemed  material;  the  Registration
Statement  on Form S-8 under the Act  relating to the Shares (the  "Registration
Statement");  and such other certificates,  receipts,  records,  instruments and
documents as we considered necessary for the purposes of this opinion.

      We  are   attorneys   admitted  to  practice   in  the   Commonwealth   of
Massachusetts.  We express no opinion  concerning the laws of any  jurisdictions
other than the laws of the  United  States of America  and the  Commonwealth  of
Massachusetts,  and also  express  no  opinion  with  respect to the blue sky or
securities laws of any State.

      Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that upon the issuance and
delivery of the Shares against payment therefore in accordance with the terms of
the  Registration  Statement  and the Plan,  the Shares will be legally  issued,
fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company's Common Stock.

      The  foregoing  assumes that all  requisite  steps will be taken to comply
with the  requirements  of the Act and  applicable  requirements  of state  laws
regulating the offer and sale of securities.

      We  hereby  consent  to  the  filing  of  this  opinion  as  part  of  the
above-referenced Registration Statement and to the use of our name therein.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       /s/ Goodwin, Procter & Hoar LLP

                                       GOODWIN, PROCTER & HOAR LLP