Benjamin Willis (educator)

Benjamin Willis
17th Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools
In office
September 1, 1953 – August 31, 1966
Preceded byHerold C. Hunt
Succeeded byThaddeus Lubera (interim)
Member of the President's Science Advisory Committee
In office
1962–1966
Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools
In office
1969–1972
Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools
In office
September 1, 1950 – September 1, 1953
Superintendent of Yonkers Public Schools
In office
July 1, 1947 – September 1, 1950
Preceded byWilliam R. Williams[1][2]
Succeeded byStanley S. Wynstra[3]
Superintendent of Washington County Public Schools
In office
August 1, 1940 – July 1, 1947
Preceded byByron J. Grimes[4]
Succeeded byWilliam M. Brish[5]
Superintendent of Schools for Caroline County, Maryland
In office
1934–1940
Preceded byEdward M. Noble[6]
Personal details
BornDecember 23, 1901
Baltimore, Maryland
DiedAugust 27, 1988 (age 86)
Plantation, Florida
Spouse
Rachel Davis Webster
(m. 1925)
Children1
Alma materGeorge Washington University (BA)
University of Maryland (MA)
Columbia University (Ed.D.)

Benjamin Coppage Willis (December 23, 1901 – August 27, 1988) was an educator and school administrator who served as superintendent of various school districts, most notably[7] as superintendent of Chicago Public Schools.

Willis had received praise during his superintendency in several school districts prior to arriving in Chicago. While the first eight years tenure in Chicago were widely praised, the latter five years faced massive controversy, with critics demanding his resignation and accusing him of perpetuating racial segregation in the city's schools.

  1. ^ "Dr. Quick Becomes Acting Head Of School Health Service July 1". Newspapers.com. The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, New York). June 13, 1947.
  2. ^ "Williams Proposes Dr. Quick As Acting School Health Head". Newspapers.com. The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, New York). June 6, 1947.
  3. ^ "School in Yonkers". Newspapers.com. Daily News (New York City). September 6, 1950.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference dailymail1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "William M. Brish Is Appointed New Superintendent Of County Schools". Newspapers.com. The Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland). February 12, 1947. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  6. ^ "B. C. Willis Is New Supt. Of Schools". Newspapers.com. Denton Journal. May 26, 1934. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference LyallNYT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).