Rolla Presbyterian Manor resident inducted into Rolla High School Hall of Fame

In February, Leland Womack was inducted into the Rolla High School Hall of Fame. Leland had a 28-year career with Rolla Public Schools, including two stints as a teacher at Rolla High School. Now in his nineties, Leland is a valued member of the Presbyterian Manor community.

A 1946 Houston High School graduate, Leland graduated from Central Methodist College with degree in biology in 1950. Later that year, he was drafted into the Army and served in the Korean War. In 1953, he returned from Korea and continued coursework at the University of Missouri and Southwest Missouri State to obtain a teaching certificate.

Leland came to Rolla in 1955 to teach biology at RHS. He later graduated from Lincoln University with a Master of Education degree.

In 1971, Leland left the classroom to accept the position of administrative assistant for curriculum at Rolla Public Schools. In 1975, Leland received the first Bob Carter Memorial Conservation Award, presented for his promotion of the Rolla School District’s outdoor conservation study program.

In 1977, he returned to the classroom to finish his career teaching science at Rolla Junior High School and Rolla Middle School.  

Leland retired from the public school system in 1983, but he continued to find ways to contribute to the community. He taught biology to nursing students at Park College and Rolla Technical Institute, trained hospice volunteers for seven years and shared his knowledge of horticulture with the local Master Gardener program.

He shared his talents as a member of a barbershop quartet and member of the choir at Rolla Methodist Church, where Leland also volunteered to maintain the church grounds.

‍