Coolidge Corner School May Be Named After Florida Ruffin Ridley

BROOKLINE, MA — Although she may be little known around town today, Suffragette Florida Ruffin Ridley moved to Brookline in 1896 and became the second African-American teacher in the state. Now, as the centennial anniversary of the women's right to vote nears, Ruffin Ridley may be commonplace in Brookline. Wednesday the School Committee voted to recommend that the Coolidge Corner school be renamed in honor of her.

"The School Committee moved the process forward by picking to honor a woman whose life can serve as a role model for our students, be a source of pride for our community, and we can learn from," said Coolidge Corner School Principal Jen Buller in an email home to the school community Thursday.

Ruffin Ridley was one of four finalists brought before the committee after a year long search, led by Brookline students.

Two years ago, after Brookline residents discovered that the namesake for The Devotion School, one of its largest schools, owned a slave in the 18th century, Town Meeting voted in favor of renaming the school. The process was led by a group of students who call themselves the Bee-lievers in Change. They were charged with thinking critically about how one personifies the school motto “Work Hard, Be Kind, Help Others” as they narrowed the field of nominations.

They read through more than 250 nominations, 119 of which were unique. After getting public feedback and input the students researched then narrowed down the field to 15 semi-finalists. After more public meetings, conversation and input they recommended four names to the School Committee Wednesday night as options for the new permanent name for the Coolidge Corner School.

The four included Ruth Batson, a Boston activist who organized marches and efforts that led to the creation of the Racial Imbalance Act of 1965, which penalized schools if they stayed segregated. She was also the first executive director of METCO.

Also on the list: Roland Hayes, who had a home in Brookline, broke color barriers in the 1920s as the first African American to sing with major symphony orchestras in America and in the palaces of Europe.

Sybil Holmes lived in Brookline in the early 1900s and was the youngest woman lawyer in the united states in 1911 at the age of 21. She was also a Brookline Town Meeting member.

And then there was Ridley: She lived with her husband at 131 Kent Streetfrom 1896 to 1920 and were likely the first African-American homeowners in Brookline. She was also a co-founder of the Unitarian Church on Sewall Avenue, a writer, teacher, historian and civil rights activist.

Ridley stood out among the four, for the School Committee. There are still a number of steps before Town Meeting votes on a final name.

The School Committee now passes their recommendation to the Town Naming Committee who will likely take it up in the fall. Then the decision ultimately goes to Town Meeting in November.

"I am proud that our students here at the Coolidge Corner School have stepped up to become active leaders of their community and modeled for us all positive collaboration and leadership," said Buller.

RELATED:

• Coolidge Corner School Closer To New Name: Here Are The Options
• Brookline School Was Named For Slave Owner: Time For A Change

• Brookline School Committee Takes on Renaming of Local
• Plans for Expanding and Renovating Devotion School
• Brookline Town Meeting May 2018: What Happened Night 1

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).