Harriss C. Malan

W. Russell and June Rice Malan were for many years forces for much good in their community of Harrisburg and more widely in southern Illinois. In public education they were leaders in their fields, Russell in administration and the teaching of English, and June in mathematics and science.

Russell Malan and June Rice met while both were students at Park College, in Parkville, Missouri. They were married in 1926 after both had spent some time in high school teaching. In 1935 Russell left his position as superintendent of the elementary school district in Pinckneyville and became superintendent of schools at Harrisburg. There he succeeded Roscoe Pulliam when Pulliam became president of Southern Illinois Normal University. While at Harrisburg the Malans gave much of themselves to public education and to the community generally. Areas of service for them included their church, the Rotary Club, the Red Cross, and the boy and girl scouts, in addition to their professional organizations in education.

Russell helped to form the Southeastern Illinois Community College district in 1960 and the Harrisburg unit school district in 1965. June taught mathematics at a time following World War II when its content was changing- She was often in touch with the Department of Mathematics and the College of Education at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Russell and June believed that all instruction should be based on the primary skills. They inspired many of their
students to become teachers and administrators. They were committed to helping their students and demanded much of them. They were especially helpful to those hoping to go to college. They counseled with them, helped them to apply for college admission, wrote letters of recommendation, and assisted in the search for scholarships and other assistance.

During their years at Harrisburg, the Malans raised two daughters, Martha and Barbara. Both graduated from the Harrisburg high school. Russell and June were truly educated persons whose personal and family lives were grand models for their students.

Both Russell and June were continuously renewing and advancing their professional skills while they were full-time practitioners in education. These scholarships are intended to encourage other educators to do the same while maintaining a high quality of public school teaching.

June Rice Malan died in 1962 and Russell Malan in 1991. He continued to make contributions to education for most of his life. Each would accept the honor conferred upon them by this scholarship with pride and humility.