Coach Michael Mayfield For Fifth District School Board Member

People ask me, “Coach, why would you want to be a board member?” I will tell you. I would like for the best teachers in the state to want to teach in Cannon County. Well, when Mr. Norman Blair and Mr. Bob Jennings brought me to Woodbury in 1970, Woodbury Central High School was the best school in the state. It was an old school with old and outdated facilities, but we had the best principal and teachers in the state. Our grade schools had the best principals and teachers in the state. Why did we have them? We had the best school board in the state, Mr. Kenneth Melton, Mr. Bob Jennings, Mr. Wade Alexander, Mr. Hogan Davenport, and Mr. Clarence Gilley.

We as teachers loved to go to school. We loved our work. About seven of us men teachers were there, even on snow days. We would sit around telling stories until lunch, and then go somewhere to eat.

I came to Woodbury in 1970 as a History teacher and head football coach. I was in this position for eight years until we moved into the new Cannon County High School in 1978. I stayed there for one more year. I taught a future Superintendent of Schools, a School Director, farmers, mechanics, hard working factory workers, preachers, judges, doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, high school teachers, grade school teachers, the head of the Agriculture Department of Michigan state University and hundreds of good mothers and fathers. My players won 55, lost 37 and tied 4, went 10-0, 1-2, won the conference division, won the conference, went to a bowl game, won the district twice, won the region once, went to the state playoffs three times, and won one playoff.

Then I went to Smith County High School in Carthage, Tennessee as assistant principal and head football coach. Then I went to Clay County Central High School in Rector, Arkansas as a History teacher and head football coach.

In 1985, Mr. Joe D. Davenport and Mr. Virgil Duggin brought me back to Cannon County High School as a History teacher and head football coach. We went to one bowl game.

I quit coaching football in 1990 and took the assistant principal job at Cannon County High School. I served in that position for 12 years. I was the In School Suspension teacher my last 4 years.