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Wallace, Bill & Carol 2008

Nationally recognized children’s authors Bill and Carol Wallace both graduated from the Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts in the early 1970s. Carol Priddle Wallace graduated in 1970 and Bill Wallace in 1971 – both with Elementary Education degrees. They received their master’s degrees from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1974. Carol received her master’s degree in Elementary Education while Bill’s degree is in Elementary Administration. Longtime Chickasha residents, the Wallaces taught children in the area for many years. Bill taught fourth grade, kindergarten, served as assistant principal at the Chickasha Ninth Grade Center and was the principal and physical education teacher at West Elementary. Carol worked as a second grade teacher at Southwest and Grand Elementary Schools in Chickasha. Bill’s first book, A Dog Called Kitty, was written during his days as a fourth grade teacher in Chickasha. The book won the Oklahoma Sequoyah Award, the Texas Bluebonnet Award and the Nebraska Golden Sower Award. In 2000, he received the Arrell M. Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. He authored nearly a dozen more books that won awards from Oklahoma, Utah, South Carolina, Florida, Kansas, Wyoming, Maryland, Connecticut, Arizona and Canada. Carol has co-authored books with Bill and is an award winning author for her books for younger children that include One Nosy Pup and Turkeys Together. In recognition of Bill Wallace’s contributions to education, the Chickasha Public Schools named the Bill Wallace Early Childhood Center in honor of him. Since retirement, the Wallaces continue writing and speaking at schools and conferences throughout America. The couple has three children and several grandchildren. 

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