When he was a student in my high school class and player on Midget football teams, he was always quiet, mature, bright and diligent.  Other teachers described him the same way.  That was over 15 years ago.  His school reputation marked him as being headed for a successful career.

Allen McDannald hasn’t changed.  Upon hearing he had been hired to teach and coach in Midget Country, I was delighted and looked forward to the interview.

Born and raised on a farm north of Livonia, Allen’s parents are James and Nancy McDannald.  An older brother, James, Jr., also graduated from Putnam County in 1989, and he possessed the same commendable values and work ethics as Allen.

With the boys’ father busy building water towers all over the Midwest, the family moved around.  Allen received his kindergarten through 2^nd grade education in the “old elementary school” north of town.  Because of his dad’s work, he attended 3^rd grade in a Nebraska school.  After returning to Putnam County, he finished his 3^rd through 5^th grades in the same elementary school where he started.

His 6^th and 7^th grades of schooling were in the building where McCalment Park is now.  “Our 8^th grade class was the first to graduate from the current school,” he says.  “We were really proud of that.”

While growing up, Allen did general farm work.  He worked for David Hicks and operated the milking machines.  Because David was a hard worker and had patience and perseverance, Allen saw him as a role model.  In high school, he spent a couple of summers detasseling corn north of Ottumwa, Iowa.  We both agreed that detasseling was hard work.

During high school, Allen participated in FFA all four years and football in his junior and senior years.  “I really wanted to play football the other years,” he admits, “but I couldn’t get a ride to and from practices.  As soon as I passed my drivers test, I played.”

Following graduation in 1992, he worked a few months for Viskase in Centerville and then several months doing farm work for John Steele.  Sometime during 1993 he was hired by Premium Standard Farms (PSF).

“I started out on the night shift doing load out work,” he explains.  “Like any job, I had to work my way up by proving myself.  Eventually, I became a complex manager and worked days.  Once a person gets the work figured out, it wasn’t that hard.”  Allen spent 11 ½ years working for {PSF).

When asked where he met his future wife Emmy Burkhardt, a friendly smile appears and he replies, “We met at a Halloween dance in Livonia in October 1994.”  Emmy had graduated from a Davenport, Iowa, school earlier that year.  They were soon married.

As the years passed, they became parents of a daughter, Dalice, and two sons, Bailey and Lane.  “We both loved being around children, Allen states, “and we eventually concluded that careers in teaching would be our best career options.  But we knew that getting an education would require hard work and many sacrifices.”

In June 2001, the McDannalds’ began the long, arduous journey towards achieving a college education.  While parenting three children and working jobs, they completed their first two years of college at Centerville’s Indian Hills Community College campus.

They took slightly different routes to finish their education.  Emmy received her degree through Graceland University, and Allen earned his BA in Accounting after two years of night classes at Buena Vista University in Ottumwa.

Allen’s student teaching was completed at Schuyler County under former Midget Mike Rennells.  Mike was high school principal.  He says of the school’s supervising business teacher, “She was excellent and reminded me of Putnam’s business teachers.”

After their graduations, Allen took a job for one year at Sundown Lake near Unionville, Iowa, a development similar to Lake Thunderhead.  This past year he substituted in our school.

Emmy took substituting jobs wherever she could that first year after graduation.  For the 2005-2006 school year, she was hired by Milan to teach 2^nd grade.  She’s doing the same this year.  “She loves those little ones,” Allen remarks.

Of their three children, Dalice (12) loves to sing and the boys, Bailey (9) and Lane (7), are involved in athletics.  Their dad coaches baseball in the summer league.  Their team was third in this year’s league competition.  Presenting a warm grin, Allen modestly says, “We went to the Show-Me-Games.  That was a wake-up call, but we did manage to win one game.  I was proud of the kids.”

Allen’s parents still live near Livonia.  James was injured while working on water towers and is now disabled.  Nancy works at the PSF plant in Milan.  James, Jr. has worked for Curwood in Centerville for 18 years.

When Putnam County Middle School’s mathematics position was advertised, Allen applied and was hired.  One of his former teachers, Barb Hodges, will be his principal. Recently, she reminded Allen and me, “I tried to get him to attend college and be a teacher in 1992.  He finally did, and I’m glad.”  Besides teaching mathematics and study skills, he will be an assistant football and baseball coach.

Asked if he’s seen any changes in his alma mater and he answers, “The Midget attitude and spirit hasn’t changed.  Everyone takes pride in the school.”  Pausing, he adds with a bright smile, “I’m ready to get started.”

Welcome back, coach McDannald!