Irmo Elementary School to dedicate auditorium in honor of former principal

Francis Allen was described as a “humble man who loved his students until the day he died.”

Fitting words for a leader who meant so much to a community.

Allen was a pioneer for Irmo schools serving as principal at Irmo Elementary, Irmo Middle and Irmo High School ranging in years from the late 1950’s through the 1970’s.

“He made Irmo his home,” said Dan Koon, a former student and current president of the School Improvement Council for Irmo High School. “Mr. Allen embraced this community and they were truly his family.”

What originally served grades 1-12, Allen was in charge of over 350 students from 1959-1964 in what is now Irmo Elementary School. Allen then served as principal of Irmo High School until 1966 before returning to Irmo Elementary. In 1968, Allen became principal of Irmo Junior High School. His final stop was the opening of Irmo Middle School in 1970 where he served as principal before departing to work for School District Five until he retired in 1983.

“He was literally the first at all the schools in the Irmo community,” Koon said.

Allen was well-regarded for upgrading from mostly basic education and vocational curriculum to adding college-prep courses at Irmo High.

Former Irmo student Suzanne Looney Newell teamed up with Koon and others in hopes of honoring Allen, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 93. A petition was created and several thousand dollars was raised to fund the project.

“I wouldn’t have cared if it was little as a door named after him, we just thought he deserved something,” Newell said.

It turned out to be much more than just a door. In April, Koon proposed to the School District Five Board of Trustees that Irmo Elementary’s auditorium be named after Allen. OnApril 16, the board unanimously approved the renaming. A dedication date has yet to be determined.

“It says so much about what kind of person Mr. Allen was when you see the community show the support they have in wanting to honor him,” said Irmo Elementary principal Tina McCaskill. “It motivates me even as a leader now in hopes of people remembering me the way they did him.”