A candlelight vigil for Dr. Rosetta Stith, a charismatic and tireless advocate for the education of teenage mothers, will be held June 16 at 7:30 p.m., in front of the building formerly known as the Laurence G. Paquin Middle/High School for Expectant Teenage Mothers. Stith lead the school for many years.
Dr. Rosetta Stith
On June17, there will another memorial service for Stith at the chapel of Vaughn C. Greene Funeral Services, 8728 Liberty Road, in Randallstown. Stith died on May 18 due to complications from dementia. She was 72.
Stith, known fondly by many as Dr. Ro, was once ubiquitous on the national stage discussing the issues connected to teen pregnancy. She was featured in the New York Times, as well as a variety of news and current affairs television programs including, “Crossfire,” “The McLaughlin Group,” “Geraldo,” and, “The Ricki Lake Show,” among others. She was also the host and producer of, “The Ro Show,” on Baltimore Cable Television.
Always immaculately dressed, with her signature platinum blonde hair, Stith cut a dashing figure as she fought for young women, who as late as the 1960’s in Maryland, were forced to leave school if they became pregnant.
However, her legacy as an educator who cared deeply about the plight of teenage mothers, was first publicly recognized when she was named assistant principal of the Paquin School in 1974 and then principal in 1980.
Although it may seem implausible today, during her ascendancy as a teen
pregnancy/public health advocate in the 1980’s, talking publicly about teen sexuality, specifically in a school setting was still controversial. However, Stith was quoted in the AFRO in an 1987 article entitled, “Responsible Sex Being Taught at Dunbar HS.”
“Kids don’t understand sexuality as an individual concept…Any kind of activity that will expose kids to responsibility of anything they do is good. It is like teaching safety,” Stith said in 1987.
During her tenure at Paquin, Stith provided and improved support services at the school for her young women encouraging them to complete their education. She established a school based health facility that served teen mothers and their children, as well as teen fathers and extended families. She also helped establish employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for her students, with an on-site industrial sewing center, which manufactured baby clothes and gifts created by the students. The company was called Young Creations.
“She was such a beacon of light for young women in Baltimore City,” said Kiarrah Wilson, an alumni of Paquin who graduated from the school in 2007. “And she helped us become some of the best moms and sophisticated women we are today.”
Stith consulted on education issues connected to the prevention of teen pregnancy on an international level, appearing on Danish, Dutch, German, French, Brazilian and Japanese television programs. School systems within many of these countries viewed the Paquin School as a model for institutions focused on the education needs of teen mothers.
“Dr. Rosetta Stith was a powerful advocate for her students. When you saw them together it was evident there was a mutual love and respect,” stated Edie House, spokeswoman for Baltimore City Public Schools. “She set a standard of intellect, elegance and excellence for all who knew her to emulate.”
Stith received numerous awards and honors during her career including being named Phi Beta Sigma’s, “African American Woman of Distinction,” in 1999 and she was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame in 2000.
Stith is survived by a brother, Elijah M. Stith of Las Vegas, NV; and a sister, Vanessa Johnson of Baltimore; and several nieces.
