Our School

School Colors:   Red and Black

Mascot:  "Mitch" the Bulldog

School Hours:  9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

History

First elected as a Democrat to the Maryland Senate in 1917, Walter Jenifer Mitchell served as Senate President from 1931 to 1933. He served three terms on the Senate overall. While in office, Mitchell worked to pass a bill authorizing the building of several county high schools. Before this bill passed, there were no high schools in Charles County. After the bill's passage, Glasva, Nanjemoy, Pomonkey and La Plata high schools were built.

Mitchell was born on March 16, 1871, at his family's farm on what is now Mitchell Road. As a boy, Mitchell worked on the farm and received an education from the Charlotte Hall Military Academy. He worked to pay his own way through the University of Maryland Law School in Baltimore. He graduated in 1894 and returned to La Plata where he bought the two county newspapers, The Port Tobacco Times and The La Plata Crescent. Mitchell combined them to make the Times-Crescent in 1897.

In 1899, Mitchell married Florence Jenifer from Baltimore County. Together, they raised three boys and two girls. One of his sons, James C. Mitchell, took over as editor of the Times-Crescent in 1934, and Walter Mitchell went on to help start County Trust Company, now part of Bank of America, in La Plata. He became bank president and served as director until his death.

Because of Mitchell's accomplishments, Maryland Governor Albert Ritchie appointed him Judge of the 7th Judicial District and Associate Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, the highest state court. In 1941, Mitchell retired and returned to La Plata where he continued practicing law until his death in March 1955.

Mission

The mission of Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School is to provide a quality instructional program in cooperation with parents, through which all students become responsible and successful learners.