He was called the Father of Modern Corrections in South Carolina.

Actually he was more than that. He was the father of 4 Lexington residents – Nancy Faglie, Missy Collins and Mike and Steve MacDougall, Lexington’s mayor.

Ellis MacDougall was recently inducted into the SC Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame.

According to his biography, he “initially came to South Carolina with an interest in making a difference for the betterment of society. He succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.”

Armed with a degree in psychology and a master’s in criminology, he learned firsthand what it is like to promote public safety while providing opportunities for criminals to change their behavior and outlook on life.

He achieved that here and in four other states.

He began work as a probation officer in what is now the Department of Juvenile Justice, was hired to convert a chain gang to a place where inmates who wanted a second chance could learn a trade, and became Department of Corrections head.

He converted guards to correctional officers with better pay, qualifications and training, reduced escapes and caught those at large.

He introduced vocational training for inmates and helped start the School of Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina where he taught and served as deputy dean.