Mary G. Porter

Mary G. Porter began her career as a first grade teacher at Cabin Branch, a three-room elementary school in Dumfries, after receiving a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from Virginia State University.  From 1950 to 1965 she taught at Washington-Reid Elementary School.  In 1966 Mary G. Porter was selected to be one of four black teachers to pilot the desegregation program at Dumfries Elementary School. Her friends say that she had a good rapport with students, parents, and fellow workers and treated all with love and respect regardless of their race, creed, or color.  “Her innate leadership transcended the racial stereotypes that were prevalent during that time,” say friends.  Mary G. Porter retired from Dumfries in 1981.

Throughout her teaching career Mary G. Porter believed in the philosophy that ‘all children can learn’ long before it became a ‘buzz word’ from the state, say those who knew her.  Mary G. Porter wrote and directed school plays and musical productions to help boost children’s confidence and self-esteem through drama. She crafted learning blocks, cards, and other visual aids to reach the students who learn in different ways.  Devoted to a lifetime of educating children, during her retirement, Mary G. Porter was an active tutor for her church and local organizations.  She also financially supported students’ desire for higher education.  Considered a role model for her students, both Mary G. Porter’s daughters became teachers for Prince William County, and now her grandson teaches for the school division.

We are honored to have our school named after such a caring and driven individual as Mary G. Porter.