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was number one on the list of eligibles to teach drawing. Following an exchange of communications, she was officially notified that: 

You are hereby informed that the Board of Education at the meeting of December 3, took the following action: Appoint on a probationary tenure as teacher of class 1A Drawing Department, Divisions 10-13, effective on and after December 8, 1924, subject to fiscal examination within 6 months; pass competitive examination number 2 on list of eligibles... (letter in JMT's file)

On February 2, 1925, Thomas began a life of teaching in the District of Columbia Public Schools by accepting a position as art teacher at Shaw Junior High School located at (located in the old M Street School (now Dunbar High School) at [[strikethrough]] ? [[/strikethrough]]. Seventh and Rhode Island Avenue, N.W. (chk on ? original location - not there/JMT) She maintained the family tradition, of her mother and maternal aunts, by becoming a teacher. Dedicating her energies and commitment to the young art aspirants under her tutelage for the next 35 years until she retired January 31, 1960, Thomas was an active force in the artistic life of the city. 

After a decade of teaching at Shaw Junior High School, Thomas organized The School Arts League in 1936. Convening on Saturday mornings, its aim was to foster a keener appreciation of art among African American children in Washington, D.C., and enrich their cultural lives. Organized visits were made to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Freer Art Gallery, the Phillips Collection, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Library of Congress.22

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