John S. Bradfield’s legacy continues at school that bears his name
When Highland Park ISD opened its third school in 1926, board members voted unanimously to name the building surrounded by 50 newly purchased trees in honor of their chairman, John Sherman Bradfield.
Bradfield had already been a member of the board for about 10 years, and at its helm for seven. He would continue as chair for seven years more. But board members said it wasn’t only his long duration of service that made him remarkable. It was the wisdom and devotion that guided his work.
When Bradfield retired from the board, Highland Park faculty members came together to buy a saddle for him, and a beautiful gold watch on a chain for his wife, Soloma, who was well known and loved. Bradfield wrote in a thank you note that the couple would always treasure the gifts.
“I believe it is needless for me to say that the happiest moments of my life have been spent in connection with our schools, and that I have earnestly tried to do my best for the children of the district and all the employees of the system,” he said.
Almost a century later, the elementary school that HPISD constructed with funds from a $250,000 bond has been replaced. The 19 seventh graders who became Bradfield’s first graduates in 1931 have been followed by thousands more, who now leave their school after fourth grade.
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But the legacy of service to HPISD that began with John Sherman Bradfield, along with his wife’s beautiful watch, have been handed down to generations of his family.
The watch is now owned by Bradfield’s granddaughter, Claire Roberts, who celebrated her 90th birthday in July with a surprise party at Bubba’s in Snider Plaza.
“I just think, Granddaddy, are you looking down on all this?” she asked. “It would be wonderful if he knew how many had gone through the school district, and felt blessed to be here, very blessed.”
When Roberts started school at University Park Elementary, one of her aunts, Helen, was a teacher there, and another aunt, Elizabeth, worked as school secretary. Many of the teachers had been at the school for so long that they had known her grandfather.
Roberts’ three children all attended University Park Elementary, and four of her grandchildren became the first members of the Bradfield family to attend the school named for their great-great-grandfather. John S. Bradfield’s great-great-great-grandchildren continue to attend Bradfield, McCulloch Intermediate School, and Hyer Elementary.
Bradfield’s great-great-granddaughter, Megan Conlon, whose mother served as PTA president at Armstrong Elementary, is president elect of the Hyer Elementary PTA. And a great-granddaughter, Lesley Clover-Brown, taught in Bradfield’s preschool program for eight years.
Roberts served in school cafeterias as both a parent and grandparent. Her community service has included membership on the committees that designed the rebuilt Bradfield and University Park elementary schools.
She helped Bradfield celebrate its 50th and 75th anniversaries and spoke at the opening of the newly rebuilt Bradfield, when she made her audience laugh by telling them that her grandfather had retired to a farm “way out in the country” on Forest Lane just east of Greenville Avenue.
At 90, she continues to play mahjong and card games, works out on the treadmill, and remains a Highland Park football fan. She’s passed her seats on the 50-yard line in Highlander Stadium on to her grandson but still checks the HP football scores every Saturday morning.
“Everybody in the family is a Scot,” Roberts said. “We’re very blessed because of that.”
The information in this article is based on an interview with Claire Roberts, who shared her mother’s scrapbook of family memories, photos, and clips from The Dallas Morning News and other publications.
