Helen Frances Proctor Pollard, 88, a longtime educator who spent most of her professional career in the St. Louis Public Schools system, died August 2 of cancer at her home in Washington, D.C. She maintained a second home in Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York.
Mrs. Pollard lived in St. Louis from 1944 through much of 1968. After a brief stint at the old Stowe Teachers College, she taught at several elementary schools, among them, Clark Branch, Riddick Branch, Farragut and Williams. In the early 1960s, she headed language arts instruction at the Zorzor Rural Teacher Training Institute in Zorzor, Liberia, West Africa, a program sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development.
She returned to St. Louis, and in her final position with the school system, developed a language arts curriculum while working with Superintendent William Kottmeyer.
Mrs. Pollard spent two years with the Milwaukee Public Schools prior to returning to her hometown, Washington, D.C., in 1970. She continued her career in the Washington public schools, at the National Reading Center, and lastly, supervising student teachers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County campus.
During her retirement, she continued her love of teaching reading as a volunteer tutor of adult literacy.
Survivors include her husband of 63 years William B. Pollard of Washington; four children, Veronica (Joel Dreyfuss) of New York, William B. Pollard III (Renee) also of New York, Gayle Pollard-Terry (Mike) of Los Angeles and Gaye Pollard of Washington; a grandson, Justin Dreyfuss of Los Angeles; a sister, Veronica P. Word of Washington; and many nieces and nephews.
Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, 1875 Connecticut Ave., Suite 730, Washington, D.C. 20009 or Immaculate Conception Church.