E. Merritt Douglass, Principal from 1935-1945

Blair’s first Principal - and Takoma-Silver Spring’s last - oversaw the transition from an all-grade school to Montgomery County’s first 3-year high school-only institution. He took a group of dedicated teachers with him, and instilled a sense of pioneer spirit in both the students and the faculty. Under his guidance, Blair’s first classes established a tradition of excellence and community leadership that survived a World War and has lasted for three quarters of a century.