Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Austin retires after 40 years with school district

After 40 years with the Prescott School District, Prescott Elementary School Principal Howard Austin is calling it quits.

However, his final day of work was anything but typical. While moving his memorabilia from his office a teacher came in to tell him there was a snake outside the classroom of Judy Smith.

Unflustered, Austin got up, refilled his ever-present coffee cup, got a metal rod from his truck and went to assess the situation. A student met Austin in the hallway and said it was a really long snake.

At this point, all Austin knew for sure was there was a snake outside Smiths classroom. He walked the halls quickly, without panic or fear, joking all the time. Upon arriving at Smiths classroom he saw it was a small king snake and nothing to worry about.

He told the teachers and students there this was a good snake because it ate bad snakes. Austin used the metal pole to herd the snake back into the grass and away from the classrooms  all the while carrying his cup of coffee and never spilling a drop or losing his smile.

In all, it was typical behavior for Austin who takes everything in stride.

Ive had good years here, he said. I cant put a negative on anything. Its been 40 enjoyable years trying to take care of people.

Reminiscing over the four decades, Austin talked about his arrival in Prescott. In 1964 he came from Marshall, Texas, on the train, taking the advice of his parents who suggested he ride the train and get a cab when he arrived.

What they didnt know, however, was Prescott had no taxi service. So, when Austin arrived, he went to the Davis Cafi and asked how he could get a cab. They told me I already had the best cab in the world, he said, enlightening him on the lack of a taxi and telling him his feet would have to do the job.

I walked from the train depot to the superintendents office in July, in 100 degree weather, he said, wearing a suit and tie. When I got there I had to ask for a towel to wipe the sweat off with.

J.E. Smith was superintendent at the time and hired Austin after the interview. I wasnt finished walking, he said. I had to go to McRae and talk to the principal (Joe Hale) there.

Austins first teaching job was as band director and social studies teacher, as he was certified in both areas.

He spent five years at McRae in this capacity. The district was fully integrated in 1969, and he chose to stay at what became Prescott Middle School and teach geography, teaching there another five or six years.

I did a lot at McRae, he said. Austin worked with the track team, leading it to a trip to state where it finished in the top five in its first year. He organized and was scoutmaster of a black Boy Scouts of America troop, was choir director for Prescott High School and his church, which was Munns Chapel at the time. He also formed a dance band with other band directors and played at various school functions. The band was together for six years, he said.

Austin was asked to be assistant principal at PMS under Don Mitchell and stayed there until 1979 when he was assistant principal at PES under Ed Spencer. He became principal in 1983, taking over for Spencer.

Weve grown a lot since then, he said. Weve added the activity center and computer lab. The only computer the school had in 83, he added, was an old Commodore 64 in the Chapter I program.

Austin also pointed out he and Jayne Randolph came to PES together in 1979, and retired at the same time in 2004. We came together and left together, he said.

During his tenure at PES Austin got involved with evaluating teachers across the state. I saw a lot of schools in Arkansas, he said. It helped our staff. I shared what I found out.

Austin was a member of the Elementary Principals Association and served as zone director for eight years. He was secretary/treasurer for three years before being nominated and winning Arkansas Distinguished Principal of the Year in 2002. Im still in shock that someone saw me as the outstanding principal with all the other principals out there. Its overwhelming for me. I dont look for honors, I just try to help out in school and the community. Im a worker.

His life, he said, has been one of working for people, not seeking fame or glory. Austin learned his work ethic from his grandparents, who raised him. They owned a grocery store and had him working when he was old enough.

Austin said he restocked shelves, took orders and checked the orders to make sure they were right. They taught me how to work.

Upon graduating from high school, Austin was concerned about being able to make it in college and wondered what he would do if he failed. This proved to be a groundless fear as he graduated from Wiley College with his teaching degree.

When asked about the worst day he had during his 40 years, Austin recalled the ice storm in the early 1980s. It began with freezing rain, turning to snow, then ice. About two feet of the frozen mess accumulated on top of PESs flat roof.

He and Smith, the superintendent, climbed on top of the building each day, cutting through the ice and tossing it over the side to try and prevent any major damage. I wound up with pneumonia from that, he said.

While the two did prevent the roof from collapsing, Austin said there were leaks in almost every room. Part of the problem, he said, was the temperature warmed up during the day, melting the remaining ice, which leaked through the roof. At night, the water would freeze and the cycle would be repeated the next day.

The highlights of his career, he said, were watching the students who had been through PES graduate. Ive seen 40 years of graduations. To me it is the most culminating thing to se a child who started elementary graduate with honors and get their high school diploma.