Western Schools mourn loss of J.O. Smith

Former county superintendent gained notoriety during Ryan White saga

By DANIELLE RUSH

RUSSIAVILLE — When Bill Narwold was a first-year superintendent at the Cowan Community Schools, in Delaware County, he turned to his former superintendent at Western School Corp., J.O. Smith, for guidance.

“He was recognized throughout the state as a top financial advisor. I constantly talk to superintendents who knew him who said he was the go-to guy for questions about finances. When I got into being a superintendent and went through my first budget, I made an appointment and sat at his kitchen table for help.”

James “J.O.” Smith, 84, who was Western’s superintendent from 1984 to 1991, died Monday at Waterford Place Health Campus.

Narwold, who is now superintendent of the Jac-Cen-Del School Corp. in southern Indiana, was assistant principal at Western High School when Smith came to Western.

He remembered that Smith returned for a short period as interim superintendent during the 1993-94 school year, after his successor, H. Dean Resler, died.

“It was my thoughts, and the school board’s thoughts, that we needed to get him back as soon as we could. When your superintendent dies, you’re really looking for leadership. He was gracious enough to come back to help while we searched for a new superintendent.”

Narwold said Smith will be remembered for solving financial issues Western had when he arrived.

“I would say he was a tough negotiator when it came to dealing with him on anything. He took hard lines on anything. He was protective of the taxpayer dollars. At the end of the day, he was well-respected by everybody.”

Former assistant superintendent Donna Walden recalled that Smith had a “hell no” folder, where he placed requests the corporation could not or should not fund.

“He got us back into a good financial state because of his ‘hell no’ folder,” she said.

Walden thinks Smith will be remembered at Western for how he handled the situation when Ryan White, a hemophiliac student who contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion, wanted to come to school in 1985.

Walden noted that the county board of health could not guarantee Smith or the school board that it would be safe for White to come to school, so Smith and the school board would not allow White to attend school.

“When he came in and took a strong stand about Ryan White being at Western, because we couldn’t get anyone to say it was safe,” Walden said. “He really held the line. We were all pretty frightened about it. It warmed everyone up towards him because he handled that well.”

Western School Corp. went as far as to issue a restraining order against White in the summer of 1985. A court dissolved the restraining order in April 10, 1986, and White was allowed to return to school.

Walden said Smith will also be remembered for starting an end-of-year employee banquet, and for continuing to attend such events even after his retirement.

“People were glad to see him. I think they’ll remember him with great fondness. He was there and he participated in a lot of community activities. Everyone knew who he was, the tall man with white hair.”

Smith’s survivors include his wife, Mary; four children, five grandchildren; a brother; and several nieces and nephews.

Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, 2000 W. Jefferson St. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery in Boonville. Visitation is from 3 to 8 p.m. today at Stout & Son Funeral Home, Russiaville Chapel, 200 E. Main St., Russiaville.

Online condolences may be sent to www.stoutandson.com.

Danielle Rush may be reached at (765) 454-8585 or via e-mail at danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com

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