Remembering a Pioneer

An Interlachen educator who paved the way for integration in the late 1960s was fondly remembered by family, superintendents and former students for her legacy.

Mary Strickland, who died April 28 at 97 years old, began her teaching career at the segregated Oak Grove Elementary School in Johnson in 1956. She retired in 1988 at Interlachen Elementary School.

After the Putnam County School District began voluntary integration in 1966, it was inevitable Black teachers would teach in previously-white schools. Strickland was chosen to teach at Interlachen Elementary for the 1966-1967 school year.

Former Superintendent Carey Ferrell, who ushered in the desegregation process, said Strickland was regarded as one of the best teachers in West Putnam County. However, white parents started a campaign to remove students from the school because of Strickland’s presence. Putnam County Sheriff’s Office deputies later had to escort buses.

One member of the group event accused Strickland of attacking her daughter. Strickland was arrested with the district posting bond and providing her legal defense. After the court ruled in favor of Strickland, she kept teaching the student, and the parent later told Strickland she had been pressured by the group to make the claim, according to Ferrell.

“Words cannot be written to accurately describe the legacy that Mary Strickland left on the Putnam County school system,” Ferrell said. “I assure you she will not be forgotten.”

Current Superintendent Rick Surrency said Strickland teaching at Interlachen Elementary was a huge move considering how unpopular it was among local residents at the time.

“The bravery of her to do that really made history,” Surrency said.  

Brenda Strickland-Brown, then a senior in high school, said she didn’t realize what her mother experienced until later, but she remembered her mother going to court. Next to Strickland’s funeral program on her kitchen table, Strickland-Brown laid out several personal and thank you notes from her mother’s former students.  

Strickland-Brown also planted the flowers she received at the funeral.

“She got up and went to work every day. She didn’t request a transfer. I don’t think she was in Dr. Ferrell’s office complaining for a transfer. He stood with her,” Strickland-Brown said. “It was amazing, the strength that he had, to accept and adopt the current events of the time.”

Strickland-Brown retired about nine years ago from a long teaching career in Maryland, Texas, Florida and Germany. She said her mother’s path influenced her to be a teacher. For the last 10 years leading up to her mother’s death, Strickland-Brown lived with Strickland in Hawthorne.

“I’m very proud of my mother, and it speaks to the fact that so many people attended her service and respected her tremendously,” Strickland-Brown said.

The Rev. Nathan Sommons, pastor of Canaan Missionary Baptist Church in Reddick, is Strickland’s former first grade student and he officiated her funeral May 8. He said Strickland was a disciplinarian who did a wonderful job of teaching him how to read, write and count.

Sommons said Strickland was a well-respected member of the community in an era where teachers were held to incredibly high standards, included being prohibited from even going to bars.

“She is the reason why I personally am where I am today, because she stressed discipline,” Sommons said.  

Strickland graduated from Florida A&M University in 1955. Black teachers had to fall back on teachings from Historical Black Colleges and Universities and the church to overcome the racially tense difficulties of the time, Sommons said.

“You had to keep from getting frustrated and learn people’s behavior, ideologies and learn how to get along with folks. I applaud her, really, for staying in the school system and coming out unscathed,” Sommons said. “I’m sure she saw times were changing and moving forward, and she had to use her discipline because she knew she would get pushback.”

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