Provided by Mr. Hugh Graham Waters

Dr. Alfred G. Waters was born in Hampton, Virginia, one of three children of the late Graham and Allena Waters. His father was a promi- nent postmaster in Maryland, and his mother was a dedicated teacher. Dr. Waters married Margaret Laws from Concord, Delaware, and the couple had two children, Gloria Nowlin and Hugh Graham Waters.

Dr. Water’s early years were spent in Fairmount, Maryland. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Morgan State College (now Morgan University), a master’s degree from the Teacher’s College at Columbia University, and a doctorate in educational administration from Penn State University. He later went on to study at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University, obtaining a certificate in Supervision/Administration.

Before moving to Delaware, Dr. Waters served as the principal of Kingston Elementary School in Kingston, Maryland. He was the principal of Frankford Junior High School in Frankford, Delaware from 1934 to 1941.

Dr. Waters became the principal of Middletown 120C, later renamed the Louis L. Redding School, in 1941. During his tenure as principal, the school grew from three small buildings providing education to African-American students in grades 1-9, into a comprehensive grade 1-12 school considered one of the best educational institutions in the state. He provided leadership and inspiration to thousands of young people and ushered in a new era of tolerance and understanding when schools were desegregated in 1966.

In 1968, after independent schools in Middletown, Odessa, and Townsend were incorporated into the new Appoquinimink School District, he was chosen to become the Assistant Superintendent, a position he held until his retirement in 1973.

Dr. Waters’influence extended far beyond the borders of the Appoquinimink School District. For two summers, he served as a special lectur- er on school organizations and administration at Penn State University. He was a member of the staff of the Delaware State Hospital from 1948 until 1949, where he served as an occupational therapist — the first minority professional ever hired in this capacity - during the school’s summer hiatus. He was a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, an organization that prided itself, then and now, on the belief that each member should be judged by his own merits rather than his family background or affluence...without regard of race, nationality, skin tone or texture of hair. They wished and wanted their fraternity to exist as part of even a greater brotherhood which would be devoted to the “inclusive we”rather than the “exclusive we”.

An energetic lifetime promoter of human relations, he possessed a rare ability to advance understanding and harmony between people of all races, colors, creeds and nationalities. Four Governors for the State of Delaware, beginning with Elbert N. Carvel and continuing through Sherman Tribbett, appointed him to serve on the State Human Relations Commission, where he was a charter member.

Weary of the second and third-class service afforded to members of his race, he worked valiantly to support the highly controversial Public Accommodations Act of 1963. After the law’s passage, he courageously visited public establishments to ensure that equal access was being provided to people of color. Whenever violations were uncovered, he made it his job to take appropriate action to correct and prevent fur- ther discrimination.

HONORS & AFFILIATIONS:

• On February 2, 2002, the Stone Square Lodge #22, Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons of Delaware named Dr. Alfred G. Waters as their Special Honoree.
• Dr. Waters’family name is listed in the Afro-American Historical Museum in Annapolis, Maryland.
• In 1973, he was presented with a special citation for meritorious services by the Appoquinimink School District during a community- wide celebration held in his honor. At that time, the library of the Louis L. Redding School was dedicated in his honor.
• He was the past President of the Delaware State Teachers Association; Past President of the New Castle County Teachers Association; Past President of the Delaware Principal’s Club; Past President of the Wilmington Suburban Principal’s Association; Past Vice President of the Kent County NAACP; New Castle County Chairman of the PTA; Member of the State Human Relations Commission; Member of the Middletown Bi-racial Committee; and member of the consultant staff to the State Board of Education, a group charged with resolving problems related to teacher employment.
• Dr. Waters was a lifetime member of the Morgan State University Alumni Association.
• Dr. Waters was a member of Dale United Methodist Church, Middletown, Delaware and a devout, practicing Christian.
• Dr. Waters was a loving and faithful husband, father, friend, educator, and a companion to all who enjoyed helping their fellow man, until his death.

We are proud to celebrate his legacy of outstanding education, service, and humanity.