Millennium Magazine_2ndEd

122 MILLENNIUM-SECOND EDITION afforded him the opportunity to work with students and a community that is dedicated to making the world a more humane and just place. Although retired, he remains committed to educating young people growing up in a poor city with a struggling education system. He works with others to develop and offer educational initiatives through the Chester Children’s Chorus, now a program of Swarthmore College, and was integral in developing what is now the Chester Charter School for the Arts. Mr. Eldridge continues to raise funds for the latter through The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts and also volunteers to work directly with some of the high school students as they explore opportunities following graduation, particularly in postsecondary education. Additionally, he serves on a number of boards and takes special joy in being a board member of Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat and training center with a focus on social justice. A s a boy, Maurice Gray Eldridge knew that he wanted to pursue a career in education. In the days of segregated schooling, his parents and relatives continually reminded him that he had to work twice as hard as others to succeed in the world. He took heed and followed in the footsteps of his relatives who also worked in education as teachers and administrators, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College and a Master of Education from the University of Massachusetts. He began his career as an English and creative writing teacher at Pennsbury High School from 1962 to 1965 and remained in the high school setting until 1989. From 1979 to 1989, he served as principal and director of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in his hometown of Washington, D.C., marking an integral part of his career. Looking for a change, Mr. Eldridge transitioned to postsecondary administration at his alma mater, Swarthmore College. Before retiring in 2016, he served as an associate director and director of development, and for almost two decades as an assistant vice president, executive assistant to the president, and vice president of college and community relations. His tenure MAURICE GRAY ELDRIDGE ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR (RETIRED) Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA