West Virginia educator Mary Doakes was a trailblazer in her community. Photo Credit: Eackles-Spencer & Norton
Many excellent educators become trailblazers in their community. One of these was Mary Taylor Doakes, a teacher who became the first African American administrator to serve in schools in Jefferson County, West Virginia.
Mary Taylor was born on May 22, 1936, As a youngster, she attended the historic Page-Jackson School, the first publicly funded school for African Americans in the county. In those days, the school symbolized the ability to the Black community as a stepping stone for becoming successful during a time period when educating African Americans was discouraged. Today the building is home to the Jefferson County Board of Education.
After her high school graduation, she worked her way through college. First, she enrolled in a teacher training program at Storer College, a historically Black college located in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. After the college closed in 1955, she transferred to Shepherd College. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in 1957. She next enrolled in Michigan State University, later transferring to West Virginia University. It was there that she earned her Master’s degree in Elementary Administration in 1963.
After completing her education, Mary accepting a position as a teacher at Eagle Avenue Elementary School. After several years, she transferred to her alma mater, Page-Jackson school. In all, she spent 14 years in the classroom. In 1971, Mary was promoted to Assistant Principal at Charles Town Junior High School. In 1974, she became the first African American administrator in Jefferson County. Her next assignment was the principal of Charles Town Junior High, a position she held until she retired in 1989. Throughout her long career as an educator, Mary was known for combining loving encouragement with hard-as-nails discipline.
Sadly, Mary Doakes passed away on May 1, 2019, in Ranson, West Virginia. She was 82 years old. Later she was featured in a collection of photographs published in African Americans of Jefferson County by the Jefferson County Black History Preservation Society.
