BRIGGS, PAUL WARREN (23 Nov. 1912-10 Nov. 1989), Superintendent of the CLEVELAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS (1964-1978), made physical improvements and recruited BLACKS as teachers and administrators but opposed integration by busing. Briggs was born in Mayville, Michigan, and graduated from Western Michigan College. He taught in Brown City, Michigan, and served as superintendent of Bay City, Michigan, schools before coming to the PARMA schools as superintendent in 1957. During his tenure with Cleveland Public Schools, Briggs oversaw the construction of 40 new buildings, expanded vocational schools, created schools for the hearing-impaired, and, assisted by the PACE ASSOCIATION, added libraries to over 100 elementary schools. He also helped create the Master of Arts in Teaching degree at JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY. In 1978, Briggs tendered his resignation shortly after a federal court order established an independent body to implement desegregation. He then accepted a position as visiting professor at Arizona State University
Briggs married Arvilla Moran on 18 June 1933. They lived on Edgewater Dr. while in Cleveland and had two children, James and Betty Ann B. Washburn. Briggs died in Tempe, Arizona.
Gorn, Cathy. "Achieving 'Comfortableness': Private Action and Public Educational Policy in Cleveland, 1962-1974" (Ph.D. Thesis, CWRU, 1992).