Lawrence Derthick, who earned a master’s degree in education from UT in 1930, was appointed United States Commissioner of Education in 1956 and served through 1961. At the time of his appointment, he was serving as superintendent of city schools in Chattanooga.
He was born in Hazel Green, Kentucky, where his father was head of Hazel Green Academy. He attended public schools in Johnson City and graduated from Milligan College while his father was president there. Following receipt of the UT degree, he did additional graduate work at George Peabody College for Teachers and at Columbia University.
He began his teaching career in Greene County in 1927 as a teacher and principal of the consolidated elementary and high schools. From 1930 to 1935, he was principal of the joint City-County High School in Clarksville, and from 1935 to 1939, he was state high school visitor for East Tennessee and professor of education at East Tennessee State. He was assistant superintendent in charge of instruction for the Nashville public school system from 1939 to 1942 and became superintendent of public schools in Chattanooga in 1942.
In 1954 he was president of the American Association of School Administrators. In 1948–49 he was head of the Educational Branch of Military Government in Bavaria while on leave from the Chattanooga superintendent’s position, which he held until appointed commissioner of education. In 1961 he became assistant executive secretary of the National Education Association.