Dillard A. Mallory

Dillard A. Mallory, Exceptional Educator Inducted 2012
 

Mr. Mallory was born in Wright County and graduated from Hartville High School.  His teaching career, however, began even prior to his graduation when he earned his first class county teaching certificate as a sophomore in high school at the age of 16.   He began his teaching career in a one room school house in Wright County and served as elementary school principal in Hartville, and was Superintendent at Grove Spring and Verona before becoming Superintendent at Buffalo in 1944.   When he first arrived in Dallas County, students attended 57 different, independent school districts.  The Buffalo district was a small one with the school district boundaries mainly being the city limits.  Within two decades of his leadership the school district evolved from a country town school to one of the premier school districts in the state, earning a "Triple –A" rating from the state and serving most of the students in Dallas and eastern Laclede counties.  He was known statewide as a progressive educational leader who was able to build a strong school district on a frugal budget.  He was honored many times in his career and his leadership brought great fame to our school district.  In 1963 he was named by the Governor to the Missouri Academy of Squires and in 1964 he earned the Freedom Foundation's American Educator Medal.  He also earned the National Education Association's Pacemaker Award and was honored as a "Pioneer in Education" by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  In 1984 Mr. Mallory was honored by Drury College with an Honorary Doctor of Human Letters degree.  Often when we recount one's contribution to any endeavor we look at the growth of numbers, buildings, and curriculum.  In recounting Mr. Mallory's contributions these measures do not tell the whole story.  Mr. Mallory's real contributions are found in the lives of the thousands of students who learned in his citizenship classes and who listened to his Monday morning assembly discussions.  His primary goal was that all students become contributing citizens.  He is remembers by students and staff for his wise council, his admonitions to do their best, and his kindness shown to all students.  A former students said of Mr. Mallory, "he liked us, in fact he loved us, and we could feel that love".