Paul Gaylord was selected as SCC’s 2021 Keokuk campus Distinguished Alumnus.
Gaylord dedicated his life to education and advocating for his hometown, Keokuk.
He earned an associate degree from Keokuk Community College in 1958 and a bachelor’s degree in education from Western Illinois University in 1960. He went on to earn a master’s degree in counseling and school administration in 1964 from Illinois State University.
Gaylord worked in the Keokuk Community School District for 28 years, serving as counselor, assistant principal, and eventually as principal of Keokuk Middle School for 16 years. One of the many highlights of Gaylord’s career was in 1988 when he received an award as one of the top 150 schools in the U.S for Excellence in Education on behalf of Keokuk Middle School from President Ronald Reagan at a ceremony at the White House.
In appreciation for his dedication to the Keokuk Community School District, then-mayor Ronald O. Bramhall declared June 4 to be Paul Gaylord Day.
Gaylord served his community diligently for the benefit of children, he encouraged everyone he knew to take pride in the city, and served as a positive role model for students and parents alike. The fruits of his life’s work continue to make a difference in his community and in the lives of all the people he served.
