Gayla Webster Smith, 9 years ago

Currently, I understand from Jim Knight at Anton ISD, that there exists a body of like minded Administrators working together to change how the system “that is not working” for schools with small populations, high numbers of low income students and the lowest possible funding to teach them. I teach art for free. I moved here in 2004, a recent widow, to be as close as I could afford to live to my mom in Lubbock. I remembered visiting Anton when I was in 1st grade and meeting a distant cousin for the first time. The streets were neat and clean, the houses well kept, and the one street town had lots of different shops. And this is where my prayers had brought me to a house I could afford to live in . I n my prayers also was hope to work here and to teach art. The house itself was a miracle that had been waiting for me. I also think the sellers were hoping for an Art Teacher to be living in Anton. The School however, (before Mr. Knight) was not interested in hiring an art teacher. The day I walked in 10 years after moving here , I had no intention of doing what I did. I only wanted something from the school to put in a welcome wagon bag. I ended up volunteering to teach art, for 1 year, to class room sizes not to exceed 12 students for 2 periods a day, a vacant elementary room was found for me and the one room school house that taught grade 6-12 art by spring (6th was added) began.

I was asked to do it again. Mr. Knight was trying to find money to pay me. I do not need insurance or teachers retirement any more. My husband died of ALS from Viet Nam. I receive Widows Pension from Social Security, Dis ability, and VEterans Surviving Spouse Benefits and Champ VA. I know the school is poor. 2. 5 classes .5 being 6th grade for 1/2 a year. Less than 3 hours a day actual face time with students. How can that be done how can they find money to pay me anything especially drastically LESS than what the state says I should make as a certified teacher?

In this second year, the roof at school always leaks, the test scores of last years 5th graders sunk left 1/2 of them hanging off a cliff, The toilets backed up 3 times, And we i believe have 3 or more student sendoffs ( kids going to sign up with a college for a scholarship they have wont) and if those events are not great enough, I had opportunity to speak with Mr. Knight in his office about the condition of the school, about the lack of funding for so many things these kids need, about how remarkable the change was in staff and parents under his guidance, how thankful I was to help transition the students into art and the school back into a position of having art because they need “THE STUDENTS NEED” art. We talked about many things , some of them political, then I asked what do we ANTON need to happen for the youth here for this school. Do we have a voice in AUSTIN,,,,,it was like watching a student discover his passion, his face lit up, I was thinking I can get on the phone and give people an ear full, and there he sat, his blue eyes sparkled, also a look like…when you least expect it, you get an attaboy from God telling you you are exactly where you need to be saying the exact right thing. and he began , smiling, telling me about his trip, soon to be taken trip, to address (with a committee of several men for other schools) the disproportions of funding …in schools like ours.
Now…I am old my second FREE year is drawing to a close…I am crotchety at times, feel like I am failing , am amazed when I reconnect with students I feel I lost to Anton’s version of the EASTSIDE 17 or whatever 13… they tagged the scout building.

Mr. Knight is a true KNIGHT….a very nice young man. A big hopeful kid with all the degrees, awards, brains, and VISION needed to help not only Anton but other schools like ours to be able to provide LOW income schools with big city options. Before me the kids I have spent a period Sitting in the auditorium in theater half light supervised for quiet time… I have mixed level art students in my classes now. {9th , 10th and sometimes 12th grade Art 1,} ( 8th MS art 2 , 9th and 10th ARt 1 and ART 2) I did not have 7th or the rest of the 8th grade (i only got 2) this year because of Testing) I know that most of my 6th grade will not be back as 7th grade next year because of state testing.

Todays Second Graders will hold jobs that do not even exist today, this is true, yes I want art in all Texas Schools for Students for every grade level. Art provides students to exercise their other MIND the other side of the brain the one that CREATES, IMAGINES and INSPIRES. I want this for the whole state. I have wanted this for every small town in Texas that did not have it when my youngest daughter was born in Quanah in 1983. Her baby sitter did not like band, was college bound, the school did not have art, drama, dance, or any foreign language classes, it had BAND and Football. I went to school in Lubbock, I was young, a mother of 3, after she left it just lingered so hard on my mind HOW can schools be that much different from city to small town…college requirements require arts, but what about tone deaf kids who hate sports and cant carry a tune. WHAT about the ARTISTS…the kids like me…
I walked out side looked up at the stars above Quanah and said THIS is WRONG , Father it needs to be fixed.

I had no plans to go to college, when I ended up there I planned to be a social worker, when I felt forced to take an art class to lift my gpa back up to HOPE again to make the deans list. I felt as if I had rediscovered my first box of crayolas. Eventually as a non traditional student starting out in TEXAS, moved away to Denver…I graduated with an Art degree, returned and completed the Art Educators Program from MSU Denver. My Husband was diagnosed with ALS the month after my first interview in TEXAS. We moved home to Texas. And I ended up here, a town smaller than Quanah , teaching art to kids who would not have art at all. I am 63 in August, I am disabled. (lots of health issues) I am Where God needed me to be, doing what needs to be done, but Dear Governor ABBOT…I transitional….PLEASE look into Mr. Knight if you have not met him…Anton isn’t done with him yet …. but they need to hire a brand NEW young art teacher….everything is in place except him or her…and the budget. Mr Knight is someone you will love to know.