by June Kay Kemp

Palmersville School has had many outstanding principals throughout its history. Listening to visitors at the Historical Society’s building reminisce as they view the senior pictures hanging around the room, one hears so many stories beginning with, “Do you remember when Mr. (you finish the question). . . .

The two men with the longest tenure as principals were Mr. Carl J. McDaniel and Mr. Robin Montgomery; both were principals for nineteen years respectively. Although neither were natives of Palmersville, they made it their permanent home and raised their families here. “Mr. Mac,” as he was lovingly called, passed away June 14, 2003 and his wife “Miss Polly” passed away February 26, 2006. (As of April, 2006 when this article was originally written, Robin and his wife Sherry (Oliver) continued to reside in Palmersville.)

Following is the list of principals at Palmersville:

• 1921-22 Mr. W. Jonah Gibson
• 1922-23 Mr. Fitch
• 1923-24
• 1924-25 Mr. W. Jonah Gibson
• 1925-26 Mr. Robert McAlpin
• 1926-27 Mr. B. C. Lynch
• 1927-28 Mr. Hubert I. Jones
• 1928-30 Mr. A. S. Campbell
• 1930-31 Mr. R. H. Ray
• 1931-32 Mr. Jim H. Elarn
• 1932-35 Mr. T. W. Fisher
• 1935-39 Mr. T. Dessell Pentecost
• 1939-41 Mr. Happel Smith
• 1941-43 Mr. Norman Campbell
• 1943-45 Mr. L. B. Brown
• 1945-46 Mr. H. D. Hagar
• 1946-47 Mr. J. Leland Wingo
• 1947-50 Mr. W. H. Cravens
• 1950-52 Mr. Wyatt R. Cunningham
• 1952-54 Mr. W. A. West
• 1954-55 Mr. Lloyd Spiceland
• 1955-57 Mr. Walter H. Riggs
• 1957-59 Mr. Bob Childress
• 1959-78 Mr. Carl J. McDaniel
• 1978-97 Mr. Robert “Robin” Montgomery
• 1997-2003 Mr. Keith Darnell