John Henry Fischer
Encyclopedia
John Henry Fischer was an academic administrator
who, as school superintendent
, made Baltimore
the first large American city to desegregate
its public schools. He later served as dean
and president
of Teachers College, Columbia University
for fifteen years.
on July 16, 1910, and raised near Lake Montebello in the city's northeast side. His father was a plant
engineer
for Simpson & Doeller Company, a Baltimore printing
establishment, while his mother was a homemaker
. After he graduated from Baltimore City College
in 1927, he worked for a year as a clerk for a local seed
company.
Gaining a teacher's
diploma
from Maryland State Normal School
in 1930 led to his first job at the Montebello School, which he had attended as a seventh-
and eighth-grader
. He became a physical-education
instructor at Curtis Bay Junior High School in 1933, then a science
teacher for one year each at Hampstead Hill and Patterson Park High School.
His first experience as an education
administrator came in 1935 when he was appointed vice principal at Gwynns Falls High School. He later served for four years in the same capacity back at Curtis Bay Junior High, beginning in 1938. He received a Bachelor of Science
degree from Johns Hopkins University
in 1940. He also served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve
during World War II, helping to organize Maryland's Civil Defense
program.
He first joined the Baltimore City Public School System
administration
in 1942 as its director of attendance and child guidance. He became the assistant superintendent in charge of general administration the following year, eventually being promoted to deputy superintendent. While tending to these responsibilities, he finished his postgraduate studies
at Teachers College, Columbia University, earning a Master's Degree
in 1949 and a Doctorate
in school administration in 1951.
's ruling on Brown v. Board of Education
in 1954, he met with the city's teachers to announce the desegregation of Baltimore's public schools. Despite protest
s and boycott
s from parents, the transition was mainly peaceful because he received solid support from the board of education
and mayor
Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr.
. Fischer's low-key, unyielding approach to this matter earned him respect from educators and civil rights groups.
Fischer died at age 99 of congestive heart failure at his home in Westwood, Massachusetts
on December 18, 2009.
Academic administration
An academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities...
who, as school superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
, made Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
the first large American city to desegregate
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
its public schools. He later served as dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
and president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
for fifteen years.
Early life and career
Fischer was born in Baltimore, MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
on July 16, 1910, and raised near Lake Montebello in the city's northeast side. His father was a plant
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
for Simpson & Doeller Company, a Baltimore printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
establishment, while his mother was a homemaker
Homemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
. After he graduated from Baltimore City College
Baltimore City College
The Baltimore City College , also referred to as The Castle on the Hill, historically as The College, and most commonly City, is a public high school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The City College curriculum includes the International Baccalaureate Programme and emphasizes study in the classics...
in 1927, he worked for a year as a clerk for a local seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
company.
Gaining a teacher's
Teacher education
Teacher education refers to the policies and procedures designed to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school and wider community....
diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
from Maryland State Normal School
Towson University
Towson University, often referred to as TU or simply Towson for short, is a public university located in Towson in Baltimore County, Maryland, U.S...
in 1930 led to his first job at the Montebello School, which he had attended as a seventh-
Seventh grade
Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school...
and eighth-grader
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
. He became a physical-education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
instructor at Curtis Bay Junior High School in 1933, then a science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
teacher for one year each at Hampstead Hill and Patterson Park High School.
His first experience as an education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
administrator came in 1935 when he was appointed vice principal at Gwynns Falls High School. He later served for four years in the same capacity back at Curtis Bay Junior High, beginning in 1938. He received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in 1940. He also served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve
United States Coast Guard Reserve
The United States Coast Guard Reserve is the reserve component of the United States Coast Guard. It is organized, trained, administered, and supplied under the direction of the Commandant of the Coast Guard through the Director of Reserve and Leadership....
during World War II, helping to organize Maryland's Civil Defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
program.
He first joined the Baltimore City Public School System
Baltimore City Public Schools
The Baltimore City Public School System is a public school district in the state of Maryland, United States, that serves the youth in the city of Baltimore . Its headquarters are the Dr. Alice G...
administration
Central Administration
Central administration is the leading or presiding body or group of people, and the highest administrative department who oversee all lower departments of an organization.-Education:...
in 1942 as its director of attendance and child guidance. He became the assistant superintendent in charge of general administration the following year, eventually being promoted to deputy superintendent. While tending to these responsibilities, he finished his postgraduate studies
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
at Teachers College, Columbia University, earning a Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1949 and a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in school administration in 1951.
Desegregating Baltimore's public schools
He was appointed Baltimore school superintendent in 1953, holding the post until 1959. A month after the United States Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
's ruling on Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
in 1954, he met with the city's teachers to announce the desegregation of Baltimore's public schools. Despite protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
s and boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
s from parents, the transition was mainly peaceful because he received solid support from the board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
and mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr.
Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr.
Thomas J. D'Alesandro, Jr. was an American politician who was a U.S. Representative from Maryland's 3rd congressional district and subsequently the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland...
. Fischer's low-key, unyielding approach to this matter earned him respect from educators and civil rights groups.
Fischer died at age 99 of congestive heart failure at his home in Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its...
on December 18, 2009.