WILLIAM “BILL” FISHER, THE FIRST BLACK PRINCIPAL TO SERVE AT ALLDERDICE HIGH SCHOOL IN SQUIRREL HILL, WAS HONORED FOR HIS NUMEROUS ACHIEVEMENTS AND HIGH STANDARDS FOR YOUTH IN PITTSBURGH. OH, AND LET’S NOT LEAVE OUT THAT HE TURNED 100 YEARS OLD ON JUNE 22! (Photo by Gene Puskar)
Of course he didn’t wear it on his face, but William “Bill” Fisher, the universally-loved and respected principal of Pittsburgh Allderdice High School for some 20 years (1971-1991), admitted he was “scared” when he initially got the job.
“I was scared when I came at first, from being the principal of the smallest high school in the city (Fifth Avenue) to being the principal of the biggest high school in the city,” Fisher said in a video from a few years ago to the Allderdice Class of 1972. “People keep asking me, how did you as a Black man become a success at Allderdice? I did the same thing at Allderdice as I did at Fifth Avenue; wish people Happy Birthday, yank their hats off them and have a word to say to them every day.”
Fisher did those things and so much more for the students at Allderdice, and for that, the students, no matter the graduating class, have never forgotten him. Whether it’s the 1972 class, the 1988 class, or the 1974 class, there’s no reunion without recalling their popular principal.
The Allderdice High School graduating class of 1974 celebrated its 50th reunion weekend this past June, and with no doubt, they honored their beloved principal, Bill Fisher, who was in attendance, seven days shy of his 100th birthday, June 22, 2024. The celebration occurred at the Pittsburgh Golf Club.
“There were 65 students of color in the Class of 1974 in our total class of 696,” Dr. Rhonda Taliaferro, who is Black, told the New Pittsburgh Courier. “Our predominately Jewish and White classmates, and our classmates of color, highly respected Mr. Fisher, the first Black Allderdice principal…who served as an influential, dynamic and inspirational educational leader in the Pittsburgh community to all.”
BILL FISHER, CELEBRATING BIRTHDAY NO. 100, AT THE PITTSBURGH GOLF CLUB. (PHOTOS BY GENE PUSKAR)
BILL FISHER SPEAKS AT THE PITTSBURGH GOLF CLUB, JUNE 15. (PHOTOS BY GENE PUSKAR)
Fisher graduated from Peabody High School, is a World War II veteran, and has educational degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University. He’s a proud member of the first Black Greek letter organization, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. But surely his former students are most proud that he made history by becoming the first Black principal at the majority-White Allderdice. It was his success that opened the doors for other African Americans to be considered for administration-level positions within Pittsburgh Public Schools at non-majority-Black schools.
How beloved is Fisher? When a graduate of Fisher’s asked on social media for anyone who was positively impacted by Fisher to send him a holiday card during the COVID pandemic, Fisher received more than 300 holiday cards in 10 days.
And while he was principal, Town and Country Magazine proclaimed that Allderdice High School was one of the seven best integrated high schools in the country.
The unabashed Fisher shook hands, received hugs and many thanks before he went to the podium at the Pittsburgh Golf Club and gave remarks. Those in attendance couldn’t take their eyes off him.
Now 100 years young, Fisher, known as “Hook” for keeping those hats off the high schoolers while in the building, continues to heed words of advice for all of his graduating classes at the ‘Dice—or for anyone, in general.
“I’m so glad, so blessed,” Fisher said in a video posted on YouTube, “to have been the Allderdice principal for 20 years. Keep on going on. Know something, do something, and be something.”
About Post Author
