âFortify yourself with a flock of friends.â Those typed-out words were found among Cecil Richard âDickâ Huffmanâs belongings just a few days after he passed away. That sentence must have resonated with him because he found a friend everywhere he went.
Mr. Huffman, or Dick as most knew him, is best-known in the Dry Fork community for his time as principal at Whitmell Elementary School (1964-1990). An aerial photograph of the school still hangs in his home as a reminder of the time spent there. It was inside those walls he touched hundreds of lives and possibly pulled just as many teeth. His family has heard from dozens of former students, teachers, and staff, many who recall his quick wit, level head, and knack for pulling teeth.