Washington County Enterprise-Leader
District Treasurer Enjoys Long Tenure
PRAIRIE GROVE — Ann Dunham is in her 48th year with Prairie Grove School District and she jokes she will probably not leave her job.
“My theory is I’m gonna die at this desk,” Dunham says, sitting at her desk in the administration office.
Dunham, who is 76 years old, worked for 18 years as secretary for the elementary school and then moved into the central office as the district’s bookkeeper and treasurer. She’s been in that position for 30 years.
Dunham recently was honored by students at Prairie Grove High School when they asked her to serve as grand marshal for the 2017 Homecoming Parade. Dunham said she was shocked by the request because these are students who do not know her.
The students in first grade when she first started with the school
district graduated in 1983.
“These are young women and young men in high school who have not been around me,” Dunham said.
But her dedication to Prairie Grove is apparent because of her long tenure with the school.
“I enjoy working,” Dunham said. “I love the district. I love the kids. I love my co-workers and this is where I need to be as long as all goes well.”
Dunham was born in Belfast, North Ireland, in an air raid shelter. Both her parents were English. Her father was in the British Royal Air Force. He survived the Battle of Dunkirk in World War II but later died of malaria while on a troop train in Afghanistan.
Her father is buried in a British cemetery in Pakistan. Dunham was 3 1/2 years old when her father died.
Her mother later remarried an American GI stationed in London and she and her mother stepped on American soil for the first time on April 3, 1946, in New York City. Dunham turned 5 years old that summer. She grew up in Wichita, Kan., and came to Prairie Grove on Dec. 18, 1966, for her then husband to manage the former Dillons grocery store (now Harps) in downtown Prairie Grove.
“I never looked to go anywhere else,” Dunham said.
Her two sons, Steve and Keith, graduated from Prairie Grove. She also has two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
When Dunham started with the school district, it only had two schools, an elementary school and high school.
As elementary school secretary, Dunham wore a lot of hats.
“I was their mother. I was the nurse and the janitor,” she said. “I loaned money, would buy lunches and make lunches.”
There were times she would take children to the hospital.
“I called mom and said, “Meet you there,’” Dunham said.
She recalls her husband telling her, “Ann, you cannot be a mother to every kid up there.” Dunham said she told him, “Why not?”
Darlene Burris, administrative secretary, has worked with Dunham for nine years but also was a student when Dunham worked in the elementary school.
“She was always nice and sweet and always was the nurse for us,” Burris said.
The decision to move to the administration office was not easy, Dunham said, because it meant leaving day to day contact with children. As bookkeeper and treasurer, she oversees accounts and deposits and is involved in the budget process.
Over the years, she has worked for three elementary school principals and nine superintendents.
Tom Louks of Prairie Grove served as school superintendent for six years, with Dunham as his bookkeeper/treasurer.
“Ann and I thought a lot alike,” Louks said.
Schools were changing to computers and printouts and Louks said he and Dunham were old-school.
“We were paper and pencil. I told Ann I was very concerned about the people’s money and when computers and printouts came, I told her, let’s double check everything.”
Dunham’s quick reply was, “I already do,” Louks recalled.
Dunham was a very conscientious person and was concerned with how all accounts were handled, Louks said, adding, “For her 2 plus 2 had to equal 4. She is one of the most trustworthy people I’ve been around.”
Dunham has other interests, along with her school job. She likes to quilt and has season tickets to “everything the Razorbacks.” She is active in church and enjoys seeing family whenever they can all get together. Her companion is a Schnauzer by the name of Piper.
She takes time off periodically but not too often because she enjoys her job so much, she said.
“A sundry day once in a while I can handle but give me two days…This is where I need to be as long as my brain is working. I just enjoy it.”
“This is where I need to be as long as my brain is working. I just enjoy it.” Ann Dunham Bookkeeper/treasurer Prairie Grove School District