Mississippi’s ‘education governor,’ William Winter, dies
Mississippi’s ‘education governor,’ William Winter, dies
Winter
Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter, who championed education initiatives, job creation, and racial harmony throughout his life, died Friday Dec. 18, 2020, at age 97.
Known as Mississippi’s Education Governor, Winter secured passage of landmark educational initiatives in 1982 bringing kindergartens, compulsory school attendance, and a range of other key reforms to a state plagued by poverty and illiteracy. During his remarkable 75 years of public service, Winter linked education with economic development in the nation’s poorest state, observing, “The road out of the poor house, runs past the school house.”