Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-14
School Appointee Brings
Wide Experience to Post

Board Oh EQucaClOn, DelltVtS tllC
county will experience few inte-
grafton difficulties in its schools
as long as it continues on the
present course.
I'VE have not had any troubles
or difficulties yet" he declared
yesterday, land ! don't envision
any for the future because the
program we have in motion here
appears to mean the accomplish
ing Of this objective-integra-
ton"
Mr.. Brooks. so, retired August
l. after serving as supervisor of
Negro schools in the county for
81 years. He also had been a
member Of the Remember inte-
grafton advisory committee set
UP by the county.
That committee recommended
a voluntary program of integra-
ton for the county under which
pupils could apply for transfer
to other schools. If the change
was considerde feasible the re-
quest would be granted. A linn
tied number did and, their trans
fers we're approved.
But unlike many other areas
migrating for the first time,
Prince Georges so far has es-
capped any major fiareups.
Sees General Acceptance
They're dealing with the
problems as they come up" Mr..
Brooks explained. 1T appears to
be leading to the acceptance Of
the total program by the entire
population. That's the way l
see 1t. If I'm right, I think we're
going in the right direction"
Mr.. Brooks took his oath of
Office on Monday and then par
ticipated in his first school board
meeting the next day.
IT am entering office in the
spirit that I'm named as one Of
seven members Of the School
Board and expect to represent
the whole population, not just
one segment" !
Mr.. Brooks was named by Gov,
McKeldin to fill out the unex-
pired term of the late William j.
Griffith, another Negro.
Mr.. Brooks, who also has
been mayor of his home town,
Paramount Heights, for the last
Is months, credits the county's
previous efforts to build fine
schools for Negroes with holding
down on the number Of transfer
requests.
Points To Own School
He pointed to the Paramount
Heights High School. first open
ed in 1850, as lone Of the finest
schools in the whole country"
With a 64-teacher staff and some
1.600-1, 200 Negro pupils there,
he said. many come from all
parts of the county and choose
to stay there, even though other
schools are closer.
When he first took over as
supervisor in August /. 1922. he
performed virtually the role Of
superintendent for the Negro
schools - interviewing teachers.
handling the buildings and other
administrative functions. Underi
his guidance, the first high
school for Negro pupils was
opened the following year int
Upper Marlboro, a predecessor Of
the present Douglass High School
there.
He also is credited with pro-
viding the first school bus for
Negro pupils. This was about
1884 when the Highland Park
School at Huntsville, then 81
high school, was left without
transportation when the old
WB65A Railroad was aban-
doned. He arranged to buy the
bus on his own and then had to-
charge pupils so cents month
to pay off the notes.
A native of GlouSter County.
Va. Mr.. Brooks was reared in
Baltimore by an aunt and uncle
after becoming orphaned at an
early age. He was graduated
from Hampton (Va.) Institute.
in 1921 and has taken post
graduate work at Columbia,
Howard. Morgan and Penn State
Universities. In World War I,
he served two years in the Army,
much of it in France, as SER
geant in the construction engi-
neers.
A 32d-degree Mason. he also
is chairman Of the Board of Di-
rectors of the PTA of Prince
Georges County, Inc, and is
chairman Of the legislative COM
mittee of the Maryland Congress
of PTAs. He formerly was vice
president of the Prince Georges
Memorial Library. Mr.. Brooks
is a Republican like his prede-
cessor. Mr.. Griffith.
He lives with his wife, Clara.
They have no children but
reared other peoples children"
he said
Mr. Brooks term on the School
Board will run until May, 1859.