Roland S. Barth ’59

Surrounded by family, Roland died peacefully Sept. 12, 2021, in Maine. 

Coming to Princeton from St. Mark’s School, he majored in psychology, was a member of Ivy, received honorable mention for the junior psychology prize, and headed the Photography Agency. He roomed with friends for life Cleaves, Herdeg, Kelly, Okie, Powell, and Al and Tom Turnbull. A year in the Princeton admissions office conducting school tours nationwide ignited a distinguished career in education.

After a Harvard master’s degree and California elementary school work, he returned to Harvard’s Graduate School of Education as assistant to the dean and earned a Ph.D. He produced several scholarly books grounded in experience as a principal in a New Haven inner-city elementary school and the Newton (Mass.) public schools. He returned to Harvard as a senior lecturer on education, created the Harvard Principals’ Center, served as a Visitor at Oxford University, and received a Doctor of Humane Letters from Lewis and Clark College and an Outstanding Contribution to Education Award from Harvard. Weighing this experience, Roland stated that he remained “deeply committed to public education and to addressing issues of elitism, racial, economic, and philosophic diversity, low status and morale of teachers and principals.”

In 1992, Roland left Harvard to sail and fish in Key West, cruise the Intracoastal from Key West to Maine, and consult and serve national education organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; and daughters Joanna and Carolyn. We have sent condolences.