Two distinguished educators join HCPS Hall of Fame during summer 2017 induction

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Joseph F. Snee, Sr.

Joseph F. Snee, Sr., born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a bachelor’s degree in English in 1953. At the time, Mr. Snee’s cousin was an English teacher at Bel Air High School and loved it so much that she encouraged him to apply to Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) as well. Teaching was a part of Mr. Snee’s family, as several of his other cousins were educators and his younger brother also became a teacher.

Mr. Snee was hired as an English teacher at Bel Air High School and began his career with HCPS in 1955. During that time, he continued his studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, and earned his master’s and 30 beyond the master’s in counseling and personnel services.

In 1958, Mr. Snee was appointed as a pupil personnel worker, a relatively new position in Maryland education at the time that provided direct services and case management to students who were experiencing academic, behavioral, emotional, physical, and social difficulties, as well as support to their families. Ten years later, he was promoted to supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services, and he served in this capacity until his retirement in 1983.

Mr. Snee and his colleagues were instrumental in developing many of the first programs in HCPS, such as the home and hospital teaching and school-embedded pupil services offices, which remain an integral part of the Student Services Department to this day.

Throughout his career, he was involved in policy and program development at the state level, serving as president of the Maryland Association of Pupil Personnel. He was also a member of the Harford County Teacher’s Association, the Maryland State Teacher’s Association, and the International Association of Pupil Personnel Workers.

Mr. Snee’s significant contributions include implementing a program for male students who were not successful in their home schools, the Supplementary Education Center, which opened in Havre de Grace. In addition, he established a special program for students who became pregnant so they could continue their education and gain access to health and community resources.

He would describe his role in the school system as a leader, and says what he enjoyed most was working with the students and being able to witness their progress. His major accomplishments were seeing his students achieve and go on to higher education. To this day he still sees students he taught who have become successful professionally, personally, and emotionally.

In 1983, Mr. Snee retired from HCPS after 28 years of dedicated service to have more time for his family. His oldest daughter was getting married and he wanted to be a part of the planning and activities. Some of his current hobbies include spending time with family and friends and traveling.

Mr. Snee’s wife, two daughters, one granddaughter, one son-in-law, one brother, and sister-in-law all are a part of the HCPS family. He is proud to have five children who attended HCPS and went on to higher education, and 21 grandchildren, 19 of which attended HCPS.

Rosemary T. Snee

Rosemary T. Snee was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. She attended Marywood College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1953 with her bachelor’s degree.

She worked in the New York Public Library and the Wilkes-Barre Public Library before marrying Joseph Snee and relocating to Maryland.

Mrs. Snee began her career with Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) in 1957 at Bel Air Elementary School as the first full-time elementary school librarian for the school system.

At the end of her first year as school librarian, she was forced to resign because she was pregnant with her first child, and at that time, women who were pregnant were not allowed to work. She stayed home for the following 10 years to raise five children, and when her youngest entered Kindergarten she returned to HCPS as librarian at Dublin Elementary School in 1968.

In 1970, Mrs. Snee was transferred to Wakefield Elementary School, and when Wakefield and Homestead merged as one school, Mrs. Snee became librarian for both buildings.

Mrs. Snee was a confident, resourceful, caring, and dedicated professional who developed a very effective media program. She worked cooperatively with classroom teachers to select materials that supported the school curricula. She loved working with students and was passionate about reading. Mrs. Snee provided experiences for her elementary students that encouraged a positive attitude toward learning and reading for personal enjoyment and recreation.

During her years as a school librarian, there was much change in school library programs. Educational methods, new content materials, and technological advances influenced her program. Mrs. Snee willingly embraced the changes and incorporated them into the school library program. She spearheaded the effort to computerize both the Homestead and Wakefield libraries, and while it could not be supported by the school system’s budget, she successfully convinced the PTA to purchase computers for both buildings.

Mrs. Snee was extremely proud of her five children and 19 grandchildren (at the time), and in 1992, Mrs. Snee retired to spend more time with her grandchildren.

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