FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Bethany Kendrick
Director Public Relations
Labette Community College
(620) 820-1280

LCC Establishes New Foundation Scholarship

The Labette Community College Foundation is excited to announce the establishment of the Harry L. and Clarease N. Ireland Memorial Scholarship. This endowed scholarship was established by the children of Harry and Clarease.

The Ireland children chose to create this scholarship to honor their parents’ interest and dedication to education.  They believed that the key to a bright future for young people is through education.  This scholarship is meant to honor that commitment and devotion. The children are Gary Ireland and wife, Joanne, living in Seattle, WA; Sharon Ireland living in Santa Fe, NM; Suzanne McFadden and husband, Lou, living in Winesburg, OH; and Gayle Prichard and husband, Dan, living in Arlington, TX.

Mr. and Mrs. Ireland first moved to Parsons in 1937. They lived here for several years, moved away for a short time, and moved back to Parsons for good in 1945.  They had four children whom they raised in Parsons. 

Mr. Ireland was employed by LCC as librarian from 1969 until he retired in 1975.  He earned his Master's degree in library science in 1969 after attending what was then Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia.  In 1964 he began teaching civics at the Parsons Jr High School and two years later moved to the Parsons High School where he taught government, economics, and western civilization for three years. During his six year career as librarian at LCC, Mr. Ireland added nearly 5,000 books to a collection of about 15,000 volumes at the college.  He was also credited with accumulating significant audio visual and instructional media materials for the library. Mr. Ireland served on the Parsons Library Board and was its president for three years.  He was also clerk of the Parsons Board of Education for a time. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Ireland were committed to education, and both taught in the Parsons schools.  Mrs. Ireland taught junior high English and typing in Parsons, and served on the Parsons Board of Education for a number of years. She was also its president for a period of time.  Mrs. Ireland was very involved in the Parent Teacher Association while her children were young, serving on the state board for 10 years. 

For more information regarding the Ireland Memorial Scholarship or information on how to establish a scholarship, please contact Lindi Forbes, Executive Director of the Foundation and Alumni Association at Labette Community College at (620) 820-1212 or by e-mail at lindif@labette.edu.