This collection contains materials from W. Scott Westerman's career at Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS). Most of the contents are related to Westerman's role as superintendent. The bulk of these materials are from 1967 to 1971. Westerman collected school board materials including meeting minutes, correspondence, proposals, budget reports, and various other documents related to the district. Other related materials include teacher work plans, union master agreements, curriculums, superintendent recommendations, annual reports, policies, and documents related to schools in the district.
AAPS materials also include records related to Westerman's mission of increasing equity for Black and female students. Documents related to equity are referred to as "human relations". In 1968, Westerman's files describe a protest regarding AAPS's treatment of Black students. The students created a list of "21 demands to correct racial inequalities". There are various reports, correspondence, and documentation related to this event.
Other important topics listed across this collection include sex education, dress and grooming, desegregation, and other student issues.
Other professional files include a folder of teaching materials from University High School and a written history of Eastern Michigan University's College of Education. Three folders include personal files about Ann Arbor's Rotary Club, the Methodist church, and a White Panther report from 1969. Westerman's book Letters Home: World War II Through a Soldier's Eyes (2015) is also included.
Walter Scott Westerman Jr. was born on July 10, 1925 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Westerman attended Ohio Wesleyan University where he met his future wife, Marcine (Marcy) Percy. At the end of his freshman year, in 1943, Westerman entered the army. He served in the Second World War and lead a machine gun squad in the 86th Infantry Division. Letters Home is a self-published collection of Westerman's wartime correspondence to his family and Percy.
After the war, Westerman joined Percy in her studies at Northwestern University. In 1948, after receiving their degrees, Westerman and Percy married. The same year, the couple moved to Westerman's hometown. He enrolled at the School of Education at the University of Michigan. As a doctoral student, he taught at UM's School of Education and University High School (UHS). He graduated in 1958 and continued to teach at UM.
In 1960, Westerman left UM for Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS). He worked as Social Studies Coordinator and then as Assistant Superintendent of Instruction. In 1967, he was appointed superintendent of AAPS and would serve until 1971.
An advocate for gender and racial equality, Westerman implemented various programs within AAPS to increase educational diversity and equity. He is credited with implementing AAPS's first sex education curriculum, hiring the districts first Black counselor, and creating committees to address racism in the schools and community.
After leaving Ann Arbor Public Schools in 1971, Westerman began his twenty year career at Eastern Michigan University's College of Education. In 1980, he was hired as dean of the college. He worked in this role for 11 years and retired in 1991.
Percy passed away on Westerman's 74 birthday in 2004. Westerman passed away 14 years later on April 18, 2018.
