Don Northington Made The Most Of His Opportunities

Don is a cat lover, but takes poolside rest with his son’s dog.

Don Northington ’52 with his daughter, Ellen Geders.

Don Northington Made the Most of His Opportunities

BY SCOTT QUEEN

His hands were sweating and the worry was overwhelming. He had to speak in front of a huge crowd and alongside dignitaries like the new college president and Missouri’s governor. Central College’s Don Northington, ’52, was definitely out of his comfort zone.

“I was afraid I was going to flub up,” said the former Central student body president, now 94 and now Dr. Don Northington. That day, he was on the list of eight to speak at inauguration of new Central President Ralph Woodward.

“It was a great opportunity, but there were a lot of big-wigs and the governor,” he said. “I was so afraid. My friends said I didn’t mess it up, though. They said it was a good talk.”

Woodward was inaugurated and served 20 years as president. Northington loved his time at Central and made the most of his education degree. He went on to earn his doctorate and served as a teacher, a principal, and a superintendent in various districts across Missouri. He settled in Washington, Mo., where he was superintendent for 27 years.

Northington was so beloved in his Washington community that the school district named a building after him at Washington High School.

In his interview for the Washington superintendent position, he asked why Washington didn’t have kindergarten and why it didn’t have a vocational school. The job offer came in via telephone before he had even returned home.

“I guess they liked what I had to say,” he said.

Getting kindergarten started was easier than the vocational school. He applied for funding to help launch the vocational school and was turned down due to a lack of students in the district. So, he led the charge to merge Augusta, Labadie, and other small districts into the Washington district, making the Washington district bigger. He secured the vocational school soon after that.

Another proud moment during Northington’s tenure as superintendent came when Washington Middle School was built. His leadership was widely known across the state, and he was elected president of the Missouri Association of School Administrators in 1945-85.

By the time he retired in 1990, the school district was one of the state’s best and had tripled in size.

“I retired after 27 years there, but I didn’t really retire,” he chuckled. “I worked for the state department of education for four years, and then I became executive director of the Washington Chamber of Commerce for seven years. My wife and kids made me really retire after that.”

Just like so many Central alums, Northington met his future wife on campus – Phyllis Clarke, ’55. He lost her just two years ago.

“I still live here in our 12-room house in Washington,” said Northington. “Along with the biggest cat you could imagine.”

Northington’s memory is sharp, and he vividly recalls his days on the Central campus, especially as student body president. But his favorite memory is the incredible and influential teaching of Dr. Thomas A. Perry.

“He taught me Shakespeare,” Northington said. “He was the best doggone professor at Central Methodist.”

Northington said it was the influence of Dr. Perry, and moments like speaking at the Woodward inauguration, that led him to his career serving youth in education.