Arthur Mallory
December 26, 1932 – November 20, 2025
Arthur Mallory’s influence on the field of early childhood education paved a straight line directly to the launch of Parents as Teachers.
As Commissioner of Education in Missouri, Mallory established an office of early childhood education to find solutions for the disparity between school readiness levels exhibited by children in his state. He appointed schoolteacher Mildred Winter as the first director of that department, platforming her knowledge and expertise in a move that would set the stage for a transformational model of support.
Just two years later, Winter launched the pilot Parents as Teachers home visiting program. Continuing as a champion for the organization, Mallory promoted successful legislation requiring that every school district in the state offer a Parents as Teachers program. This early expansion ensured critical partnerships between caregivers and home visitors across Missouri and built a strong foundation for a model that would eventually grow to impact children and families across the world.
A lifetime member of the Parents as Teachers Board of Directors, Arthur Mallory remained a steadfast support for the field of early childhood success, and his legacy shines in the lives of each child, parent, and home visitor in the Parents as Teachers community.
