THE recent celebration of the naming of the Mary C. Snow West
Side Elementary School recognized an important figure in local
civil rights history. In 1954, when the U.S. Supreme Court ended
the "separate but equal" doctrine, West Virginia integrated its
schools. Snow was the first black principal of an integrated
school. She also was one of the best educators in the county.
Snow died in 2011 at 98. Her sister, Josephine Wilson, 86, spoke
at the renaming ceremony. "May the many young lives who go
through these hallways be reminded of the individual that this
school is named for. As they grow in wisdom and knowledge, they
will indeed keep the spirit of Mary." Mary C. Snow overcame
tremendous obstacles to change countless lives with education.
That's what the school that bears her name must do. Community
leaders had to fight the Kanawha County Board of Education to
have Snow's critical contributions to education properly
recognized. They were right to do so. Now, about that homework .
. . n n n EFFORTS by disapp