Racine, OH — Southern Local School District held its annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Thursday (February 5, 2026) evening prior to the varsity boys’ basketball game against Federal Hocking. Superintendent Mr. Tony Deem presented the inductions and was joined by Beth Bay, Federal Programs Director; Tricia McNickle, PreK–6 Principal; and Daniel Otto, 7–12 Principal.
“HALL OF FAME – 2026
Once again I stand before you with great pride in presenting the Southern Local School District Hall of Fame Class—the class of 2026.
On January 9, 2013 the Southern Local Board of Education unanimously voted to establish the Southern Local School District Hall of Fame. The purpose of the Southern Local School District Hall of Fame is to recognize Southern Local School District graduates, employees, and major contributors who have distinguished themselves by their individual contributions in scholarship, athletics, career, community service, and or society as a whole.
Individuals can be nominated by anyone, but must be approved by the selection committee. The committee voted on and confirmed two candidates for this year.
Now, I bring to you the 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees.
Dale Teaford, Jr. 2026
Our first inductee grew up on the family farm in Portland. There he learned about farming, fishing, and hunting. He enjoyed raising cattle and draft horses. He attended Letart Falls and Syracuse Elementary schools, Southern Jr. High, and Southern High School. He graduated from Southern High School in 1981. He was selected to the National Honor Society, received the Danforth Award and Larry R Morrison Athlete of the Year trophy his senior year.
He was a four-year varsity letterman in football. He played quarterback, linebacker, and punter and was selected to the All-League team as a junior and senior.
He was a three-year varsity basketball letterman, and was awarded First Team All-League honors as a junior and senior, First Team All-District, and to the All-State Team in 1981. He played on the 1980 State Tournament team and was the MVP in the League in 1981. The varsity team he played on for 3 years won 3 league championships, 3 sectionals, 2 district, and 1 regional championship. In 1980, he played on the team that became State Semi-Finalists. In the three years that he played varsity, the team record was 59-12. He scored 329 points his junior year and 439 points his senior year. The Village of Syracuse recognized him for outstanding contribution to the team in 1981 and the Sheriff’s Department made him an honorary deputy that year.
He was a 3-year Varsity Baseball Letterman and was selected to the All Ohio team in 1981.
He attended Marietta College for two years where he played basketball on a scholarship. He earned a Varsity letter his freshman year. He then attended Rio Grande College for 2 years, majoring in PE and Health.
After college he was the Southern Tornado Varsity assistant football coach for four years. He coached Tball and youth basketball for several years. He worked for WAPORA doing biological studies of fish and wildlife at the Racine Hydro Plant. He later worked for Rose’s Excavating, the French City Press, and then went to work at AEP Gavin in the construction department. In 1995, he went to work at Constellium Rolled Products in the casting department and joined the Steelworkers Union Local 5668. There he casted metal for NASA Space Shuttle for Boeing Airplanes, US Government and others. In 1986 he married Linda O’Brien and they raised 3 sons and a daughter. He retired from Constellium in 2013.
He has been a member of the Appalachian Draft Horse and Mule Association and secretary and treasurer of the Ohio Valley Draft Horse and Mule Association.
After retirement, he spends all of his time with his family, especially the grandchildren and works on the family farm. He always takes the time to help family, friends and neighbors and always puts GOD first. He attends the Racine Methodist Church.
Please join me in congratulating Mr. Dale Teaford, Jr.
Joining Dale is his wife, Linda, his sons and their wives: Dale and Andrea, Derek and Cecelia, Darin and Michelle. His daughter Lindsay and her husband DW Mahan
Grandchildren- Ranger, Ember, Cedar, Freya, Trenton, Cadie, Alexys, Emma, Izzy, Eli, Wyatt and Addie
His brother, Dennis, is also in attendance tonight.
Robert E. Beegle 2026
Our next inductee was born in Lebanon Township and grew up in Dorcas. His family moved when he was in first grade and he attended school in Bennett’s Run Pennsylvania for four years. His family then moved back to Dorcas and he attended Racine Elementary. He was a 1956 graduate of Racine High School. After graduation, there was a shortage of teachers so he began a 2-year cadet program where after that, the teachers could begin teaching while they finished the other 2 years of courses. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s from Ohio University. During college he became a Red Cross first aid instructor and did the first aid training for Southern Local bus drivers.
He began teaching at Portland Elementary in 1958. He taught several years in Portland and then went to Racine to teach 6th grade. In 1965 he became the Title I teacher and traveled to 4 different elementary schools. He then became the 6th grade and head teacher at Racine Elementary. He was the first certified elementary principal in the Southern Local School District and spent several years as supervising principal to all 4 elementaries. In 1995, he moved to Syracuse Elementary when Racine Elementary closed. He retired in December 1999 at the end of an impressive 41.49 years, all in Southern Local. He was well known at stressing the importance of math facts and times tables. He gives credit to Mr. Hayman, Mr. Lott, Don Nease, Hubert Price for being good role models in his life. He likes to tell people that former superintendent Lawrence was his student and then ended up being his boss.
He was married to Jane Gilmore for 47 years before she passed and they had 3 children Kim, Kerry, and Kelly.
Teaching was not his only career. He was a teacher and principal through the day and spent the evenings and weekends with the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy. He did this for 36 years and then was elected as Meigs County Sheriff in 2005 for two terms. He received a special commendation when he was a deputy from Sheriff Hartenbach and the Buckeye State Sheriff Association for saving the life of his son, Steven, when he fell through a storm door at the sheriff's office.
He was one of the founders of the Racine fire department emergency squad. He currently serves on the Racine Village Council, with this being his 37th year. He has served 12 plus years on the board at the Meigs Cooperative Parish. He is a member of the Sacred Heart Church and served on parish council as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector at the weekly mass. He is a 20-year member of the Meigs County IKES (Isaac Walton Conservation group in Chester currently serving as secretary), served on the Middleport Pomeroy Rotary for over 20 years, and is the Educational Officer for the Pomeroy Racine Masonic Lodge, having been a member for 59 years. He has attended the Southern Local Academic Banquet since 1997 to give out cash awards to 3 students each year from the Rotary. He has spent the past 10 years as Secretary of Meigs County Central Republican Committee.
Being introduced to the Grandfather Tales in a children’s literacy class at Ohio University led him to storytelling for his whole career. He often still visits Southern Elementary to tell stories. He is known by all students for telling the story of Ole Roaney. He is also known for stressing that there is NO pause in the phrase “One Nation Under God” in the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
He proudly states that when greeted by others it is always, “Mr. Beegle, Sheriff, or How is Ole Roaney?”
Please join me in congratulating Mr. Robert Beegle.
Joining Mr. Beegle are his children, Kim Taylor Hull, Kerri Mellick and her husband Greg, and his friend Opal Grueser.”