Our History

Boyd Elementary has a long and proud history that reaches back to the earliest days of Springfield, Missouri. Public schools in Springfield began in 1867 with the help of “Miss Sophia,” as teacher Mary Sophia Boyd was called. Mary Boyd taught for over 41 years in Springfield. The school named for her, Mary S. Boyd Elementary was established in 1908 at the corner of Central and Benton. Miss Sophia Boyd came to the school as the assistant principal at age 76. That first school, a renovated home, was destroyed by a fire about 1911 during school hours. It is said that Mrs. Boyd grabbed the school bell and rang it as loud as she could, then ran throughout the building to get the children out to safety. None were hurt. In all, Mary Boyd worked in Springfield schools for 56 years, earning her the title of being the oldest teacher in service in the state at the time.

The existing building was constructed in 1911 to replace the damaged one and has continued to serve the community ever since. Boyd Elementary is also the home of Springfield’s first PTA organization. Conservative estimates would list the total number of students educated at Boyd Elementary alone at over 15,000. Despite this long history there have only been 12 principals at Boyd Elementary:

1908-1914: Julia V. Fowler

1914-1948: Josephine O. Young

1948-1950: Cassie Moorman

1950-1953: Jane Erb

1953-1963: Virginia Renshaw

1963-1965: Robert Ferguson

1965-1970: Dillon Morrison

1970-1981: Granville Henderson

1981-1988: Tom Snodgrass

1988-1991: Dr. John Utne

1991-2002: Alana Lyles

2002-2015: Dr. James Grandon

2015-2019: Andrea Fraser

2019-Present:  Dr. Angela Holloway-Payne