Dr. Robert S. Peterkin, brilliant educator and tireless defender of the rights of children, particularly children of color, died in Boston on Dec. 23, 2024.
Robert Peterkin was born and raised in New York City, and was a life-long Yankees fan and jazz enthusiast. He graduated from State University of New York at Albany, then received a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts. While at Albany, he met the love of his life, Louise Bauer. They were married for 56 years until her passing earlier this year.
Peterkin was a towering intellect who made a profound positive difference in the lives of children and adults wherever he went. In 1973, as Boston’s first Black public school headmaster, he brought English High School through busing and established it as an integrated magnet school for the arts. He also spearheaded several Boston Public Schools “firsts”: the first culinary arts program, which was done in conjunction with Johnson and Wales; the first bilingual program for high school students; the first daycare program for high school girls with babies so they would not have to drop out of school; the Urban Studies Program, Boston’s first alternative high school for students who had difficulty in the larger school setting; and Boston’s first open campus program, which allowed students to leave campus and pursue education at local colleges.
He also taught children with behavioral disabilities in Albany, NY, where he founded an alternative school for high school students who had dropped out. He followed his position as English High’s headmaster with an area superintendency and deputy superintendency of the Boston Public Schools. He then became superintendent of schools in Cambridge, Mass. He became the first African American superintendent of the Milwaukee, Wis. public schools, where he introduced decision-making at the local school level, and opened three innovative elementary schools: a two-way bilingual school, a Waldorf school, and a school focused on teaching African American boys that was open to all. In each place he made extraordinary steps forward for the institutions and their cities.
Peterkin did extensive educational consulting and acted as a court-appointed expert in several cities nationwide that had consent decrees trying to racially integrate schools.
In 1991, he was recruited by Harvard University to serve as the director of its brand-new Urban Superintendents Program (USP). His purpose was to train, raise up, and increase the number of female superintendents and superintendents of color. He held that position for nearly 20 years, acting as program director, professor, visionary and mentor to superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals and other administrators trained by the program.
Peterkin served as cochair of the National Urban Alliance, was a board member of TERC, a non-profit to advance the teaching of science, technology, engineering and math, and served as a board member of Boston Youth Theater, a nonprofit dedicated to impacting the lives of inner city youth through professional theater.
Peterkin was a man of enormous personal presence and became mentor, father figure, guide, sage and friend to many, all of whom have a story about how he transformed their lives.
Many Bostonians will remember this man as their headmaster or someone who helped them advance in education or the arts.
Elaine Koury, now retired, was director of Boston Youth Theater, coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts in the Cambridge Public Schools, and teacher at The English High School, Dorchester High School, and the Umana Barnes Middle School, in Boston.
