Dr. Raymond Lewis Christian

 Huntsville School Superintendent

Born:1917, Tuscaloosa County, AL
Died:July 18, 1972, Birmingham

Notes:

•  Son of Marion Jackson (Jack) Christian (1888-1958) and Ester Snider or Snyder (1894-1969) - Ancestry.com

•  Married Maralyn Hardy - Ancestry.com

•  Superintendent of Schools for Huntsville, AL for ten years (1964 received the Good Government Award of Madison County) - Marks

•  Education:
Samford University (undergraduate)
Columbia University and University of Alabama (graduate) including a doctorate. - Marks

•  Served as President of the School Superintendents of Alabama (SSA) from 1965-1967. - SSA

•  Raymond Christian Served State Well

"Educators throughout the state were shocked to hear that Raymond Christian had died. This Northport native was at the height of a distinguished career in education in the position of superintendent of Birmingham schools.

An apparent heart attack struck down this dedicated teacher, principal and school administrator at the age of 56. His loss will be keenly felt throughout the state in many areas in addition to education.

Northport's most noted son in the field of education came to the Birmingham school system at a most trying and difficult time. His was the responsibility for providing a unitary school system in Birmingham. The manner in which he went about this task brought from Birmingham City Councilman E. C. Overton this comment, "By his masterful ways, the process was achieved with a minimum of disruption and disturbance of our children."

Raymond Christian was indeed a man of masterful ways. He early demonstrated this characteristic in his first teaching position at Moundville then as a coach and later principal at Holt. From that position he went on to become principal at Dothan High School, then superintendent of schools at Huntsville. During that period of service he received a Good Government Award for contributions to Madison County.

Respected and held in high esteem by his fellow educators, he served as president of the Alabama Education Association during 1969-70.

Alabama has lost one of its truly great men and outstanding educators in the death of Raymond Christian.

He will be missed by countless students and former colleagues throughout Alabama. He served his native state well." - Tuscalloosa News - Obituary

•  Northport (Alabama) native and moved from coaching to school administration while at Holt (Alabama) - Tuscaloosa News


Related Links:

•  Ancestry.com - Page owned by LoisSanders3 and requires Ancestry.com membership to view.

•  Marks - Alabama Past Leaders, by Henry S. and Marsha Kass Marks, © 1982, p. 57

•  SSA - School Superintendents of Alabama - list of the Past presidents of the organization. (Originally found at http://www.ssaonline.org/?PN=AboutUs.)

•  Tuscalloosa News - Obituary - Article in Tuscaloosa News when Dr. Christian died.

•  Tuscaloosa News - Mentioned Dr. Christian in an article when he resigned in Huntsville.