Walter S. Mills

Walter Lewis Satterlee Mills (1908 - 1994) was an educator in the Parole community of Annapolis, Maryland. Principal of Parole Elementary for 46 years, Walter S. Mills helped guide the education of generations of Parole families. Mills is also noted for his 1939 suit against the Anne Arundel County Board of Education that resulted in equal pay for black principals and teachers. Mills was represented by Thurgood Marshall, then a lawyer with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and later a Supreme Court justice.

Mills joined the Rev. John Chambers Sr. in founding the Community Health Center at Parole. The center has been renovated and expanded over its 80 years and now provides immunizations, reproductive health services and testing for HIV and tuberculosis.



The son or William Thomas Gough Mills and Ellen M. Mills, Walter was born on August 2, 1908 in Maddox, St. Mary's County, Maryland. He was the youngest of seven children.

He received his elementary education in the public schools of St. Mary's County, Maryland; his high school and Normal School education at Bowie Normal School; his B.S. degree from Hampton Institute in 1939; and his M.A. degree in Administration and Supervision in Junior and Senior High School from New York University in 1949. He did further studies at Towson State University and Johns Hopkins University.

During his lengthy career as a teacher and principal, Walter S. Mills earned the reputation as an outstanding educator and civil rights advocate in Maryland. He served for one year as teacher-principal of Fenwick School in St. Mary's County during 1929-1930. For two years following, 1930-1932, he served as principal of Bel Alton Elementary School in Charles County, Maryland. These years were followed by his forty-six years spent as principal of Parole Elementary School, which began in 1932 and ended with his retirement in 1978.

Active in educations, civic, religious and social endeavors, he is remembered for the untiring services offered to humanity. He displayed an innate zest for high principles, an encompassing love for his fellowman, leadership traits, ability to get along with others and the ability to get things done to help others. he possessed and executed great leadership ability and could follow as well as lead during all causes for the good of humanity.

He endured many hardships but the hardships during his courageous activities to help humanity did not deter or dim his courage nor cause it to fail for he was a man of strong will, great determination, wit, courage, straight forwardness, fortitude and endurance. These strong attributes helped him to accomplish his aims, goals and great aspirations. He had the ability to think independently and after collecting his thoughts, he was very verbal and outspoken when he felt his idea or plan was worth pursuing.