Whitley BOE renames early learning center after late board member

The Whitley County Board of Education began Thursday’s monthly meeting with a moment of silence in honor of the late Delmar Mahan, who previously served on the board for over 26 years including several years as board chairman.

The Whitley County Board of Education voted Thursday night to rename a building after former board member Delmar Mahan, who recently passed away.

Then board member Kenneth Carr delivered a prayer for Mahan’s family.

Afterwards, the board unanimously voted to rename the Early Childhood Learning Center at Oak Grove Elementary School as the Delmar D. Mahan Early Childhood Learning Center in Mahan’s honor.

Board member Brenda Rose, who was a longtime friend of Mahan’s that replaced Mahan on the board, made the motion to name the building in Mahan’s honor.

“Delmar and I have been friends since we were in high school. We worked together previously. We had many conversations about education, public schools and how much it meant to him to give our children just an early boost,” Rose noted.

“I know that early childhood education was very important to him, and he was extremely proud of what we have going on in the Whitley County schools. He was a big part of our school system and he represented us well.”

Superintendent John Siler noted that the center was a wing built onto Oak Grove Elementary School a few years ago specifically designed early childhood learning and preschool.