[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 46 (Thursday, April 17, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E692-E693]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      A SALUTE TO RUTH HAYRE--DEFENDER OF PHILADELPHIA'S CHILDREN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. THOMAS M. FOGLIETTA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 17, 1997

  Mr. FOGLIETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ruth Hayre, grande dame 
of Philadelphia's public schools. Ms. Hayre recently announced her 
retirement from the Philadelphia School Board.
  Her departure marks the end of a career in city schools that has 
spanned five decades. Ms. Hayre was an honor graduate of West 
Philadelphia High School at age 15. By the time she was 20, she had 
earned her master's degree at the University of Pennsylvania and was 
headed toward a career in education.
  In 1931, Ms. Hayre was denied a teaching job in Philadelphia because 
of the color of her skin. She joined the school district a decade later 
as one of the first African-American professionals in the system. Hers 
was a life of firsts: the first black high school teacher, the first 
black principal, the first black district superintendent, and the first 
black woman named to the school board.
  Always an advocate for high academic standards, Ruth Hayre in 1988 
established a college scholarship program for needy high school 
students.
  In 1946, when she first came to the old William Penn High School for 
Girls--which was then two-thirds black--Hayre was struck by the way 
African-American students were pushed into less demanding courses. She 
complained that one course she was assigned to teach had little value 
of direction. When she became principal of the school a decade later, 
she immediately abolished the course.
  In 1991, she became the first black woman to serve as president of 
the Philadelphia School Board. As president, she spearheaded the effort 
to modernize Philadelphia's schools and to bring the district's 
curriculum and health education efforts into the 20th century.

[[Page E693]]

  As the Philadelphia Inquirer editorialized last week, ``For decades, 
Ruth Wright Hayre's name has been synonymous with quality education. 
Her retirement next month for health reasons from the School Board of 
Philadelphia should inspire her colleagues to live up to the exciting 
standard she set.''
  In light of her many accomplishments in education, civil rights and 
the arts, and the void she leaves in lives of all Philadelphians, I am 
proud to honor Ruth Hayre.

                          ____________________