Stanton Art Teacher Retiring After 36 Years in Kent
Karl Martin wants to see a strong arts program continue at Kent City Schools
Photos
In Stanton Middle School there is a large, open space that serves as the art room. On the walls, Picasso is as well represented as student artwork.
Art teacher Karl Martin will retire at the end of this school year. And when he does, there may be a permanent vacancy.
"We think that they’re going to downsize and not hire another art teacher," he said. "It’s all about saving money these days."
Rather than eat lunch in the cafeteria, Martin’s students do so in his classroom.
"We have a lot of students here at lunchtime," Martin said. "And I kind of like it that way."
He talks about the projects they are working on with excitement. One of his students, whose work will be featured at an art show in collaboration with Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center, holds up a painting Martin instantly compliments.
"Usually you illustrate a poem," he said. "This time, it’s going to be so great that we’ll have to find a poem."
"Oh, hi girls, come on in," he says, inviting more students into the room.
Martin knows the name of each student who enters his class and asks each one how their projects are coming along.
He has been teaching here for six years, "but in Kent, like 36 years," he said. "So a long time."
Martin is far from done with whatever will become of his career once this phase in his life is complete; he wants to continue his education.
"Why would you go back to school?" one of his students asks him.
"I don’t know, I never finished school," Martin replied, telling the student he would like to receive his doctorate in education.
What Martin will miss most are his relationships with the students, who still come and go, to and from the increasingly busy room. Drawing, laughing and playing guitar, they seem to look up to him.
"Even when I retire I’m still your guitar teacher, right?" Martin asks a student, adding, "sorry I missed last week."
"He doesn’t want to teach me guitar," another student jokes.
On a more serious note, though he assumes he’s "preaching to the choir," Martin realizes they are cutting back on arts in schools. It's a saddening fact.
Again, a student interrupts. “To be able to have art class 45 minutes a day, it’s great," he says. "I get to sit here, relax and draw."
At the end of lunchtime the students file out of the art room.
"Have a wonderful …"
"Four days," a student says, completing Martin’s sentence for him.
And even after they leave, Martin discusses the students' work, pulling piles of self-portraits out of desk drawers.
"I think art or drawing is high-level stuff," he said, marveling at the sketches.
Behind him, sunlight breaks through cloud cover characteristic of another April in Kent. Three deer graze in the field just outside.
After Martin retires he might travel, or learn to dance, or work on his own art projects. Or maybe he will volunteer at public schools.
"It’s just one big continuum," he said.
Diane Stresing
7:39 am on Friday, May 6, 2011
Mr. Martin is an awesome teacher, and a fantastic person. Many in Kent have learned much from him, about art and life and how to treat other people. I know a lot of kids (old and young!) from Walls who still consider him "their" art teacher, although he moved to Stanton years ago. Thank you for this story recognizing his contributions to this community.
kub
8:45 am on Friday, May 6, 2011
Calvin Hill was like another coe-ach on the field. Good luck Steen
Amy Welser Gmerek
11:11 am on Friday, May 6, 2011
And Kent Schools will follow up Mr. Martin's awesome legacy of making art relevant and accessible to ALL students by........NOT hiring anyone to take his place. Nice going, Kent. The arts are humanity's greatest and richest contributions to society and have value for ALL students, nevermind those who choose art as their career path. But you'll pump more money into athletics, right Mr. Giancola? Shameful.
Jon Ridinger
5:20 pm on Friday, May 6, 2011
Stanton currently has 2 art teachers; that's why they won't be hiring a replacement. Rick Scharlotte is the other. Every student at Stanton takes art class at some point during the year; it's not like Roosevelt where it's totally an option. I'm not sure how it's set up right now, but it wouldn't surprise me if they either have Mr. Scharlotte at the middle school full time on his own or have one of the elementary art teachers come to Stanton part of the day for some of the classes. They have 2 art rooms. Many of the foreign languages at Stanton are set up similarly, being taught by teachers who are at Roosevelt part of the day and Stanton for the other. Music also shares teachers in the elementary schools. As for athletics, those are also available to any student who wants to take them.
I had Mr. Martin in the late 80's and early 90's when I was at Walls Elementary. I always enjoyed art and he had the added hassle of not having his own classroom at Walls for much of the time I was there because we had so many students there and every room had to be used for a regular classroom (my 5th grade year we had about 500 students at Walls compared to about 300 today). Both he and the music teacher (Mrs. Eckert) had to have all their materials on carts and move around to each classroom. For awhile, Mrs. Eckert had to push a 350-bound piano around the school too (before they got a digital piano)!
Abby Lukacik
4:32 pm on Friday, May 6, 2011
Abby Lukacik
I have moved a couple of years ago to Brimfield. I will never forget Mr. Martin. A awesome teacher who loved kids and his profession. Mr. Martin taught me a lot about art. And I will never forget the special brand new pack of pastels he gave to me to use! I felt special. I hope to someday to also be an art teacher and my goal is to be as good a teacher as Mr. Martin. A very high goal considering Stanton knows he is
irreplaceable! Enjoy your retirement even though I doubt you will be retiring to a couch!!
Theresa Laurenti
4:33 pm on Friday, May 6, 2011
Mr. Martin was my art teacher many years in the 70's at Longcoy. He was an awesome teacher and inspired my love for art and my creativity. I saw him again in the 90's when I was a substitute teacher and he remembered my name from elementary school. A wonderful, teacher and I wish him the best of luck in his future plans!
Jennifer Powell Palmer
8:09 pm on Friday, May 6, 2011
I LOVED MR. MARTIN!!! (And I am not one to use all caps, by the way.)
Mr. Martin was our art teacher at Longcoy in the 70's. We all loved his class, and so looked forward to seeing him any time of the day. I remember him telling me that his favorite color was periwinkle. And I distinctly remember melting crayons down to liquid wax to work with in his class. Kent has been truly blessed to have such an amazing art teacher for so many years! Happy retirement, Mr. Martin! You deserve some time for yourself. You have made a difference is so many lives.
Sara Tadsen Williams
10:25 pm on Friday, May 6, 2011
I have to agree with Jennifer! LOVED Mr. Martin! I also had him at Longcoy in the 70s. I remember how TALL he was (especially to us tiny little elementary school kids!). Such a beloved teacher!
Thanks, Mr. Martin!!
Colleen Smith Bowers
9:14 am on Saturday, May 7, 2011
Art in the 70's and 80's at Holden elementary meant spending time with Mr. Martin. Oh how we loved him! He had that 70's free spirit, a big ole head of hair, gigantor height and a so much love for what he taught. He knew our names, families, strengths, etc. And you just never knew when art class was going to meet outside in the school lawn instead of in a classroom! I think I remember drawing his bike. What a great teacher... so glad that I spent time with Mr. Martin and glad that other kids have too... 36 years!!! Good luck in your next adventure Mr. M!!!
jen burke
9:18 am on Saturday, May 7, 2011
I too had Mr. Martin when he taught at Longcoy in the 70s. He was fantastic! I was, and still, am not all that visual. But he fostered creativity in so many forms... I loved his art class and looked forward to it every week. Like Jen Powell, I also distinctly remember learning about the color periwinkle (who knew there were so many different types of blue?) and listening to him play guitar while I was hunched over and scribbling furiously on a piece of paper. In fact, what I probably remember most is his voice, because he would always talk while we were working, offering a stream of ideas and encouragement. Several year ago, I was walking down a stairwell on the KSU campus and I heard that voice behind me. I instantly recognized it and his and it took me back in my mind to the class where I learned that art is about energy, inspiration, emotion, and and effort. Where I learned it didn't have to look good to be good. Where I learned that in addition to mastering a subject, good teachers are kind, supportive, enthusiastic, and cool. I hope he gets all that he wants out of retirement. Best wishes! Jen Burke
Natasha Bowlds
1:26 pm on Saturday, May 7, 2011
I also LOVED Mr. Martin. I had him in the 80s at Walls, and when my family moved out of the country for a year, he sent me a Christmas card - I still have it! He definitely leaves behind a legacy of getting to know kids and inspiring a love for the arts and creativity.
Paul
2:23 pm on Monday, May 9, 2011
Mr. Martin was the best teacher, I was lucky enough to have him for 5 years at Walls School. He made me a picture out of melted crayon for my birthday in 5th grade, I still have it. I used to clean his room everyday in 4th and 5th grade before school let out, he would talk to us and encourage us to be the best we could be, he's a great guy. Best wishes and I'm sure I'll see you around town Mr. Martin!
-Number 2. (002)
Tiffany
8:24 pm on Sunday, May 15, 2011
Absolutely one of my all time favorite teachers since third grade. Made such a beautiful impact on my education and experience in the kent city schools. I'm 22 and live in NY. Getting into big time stuff and life. Very fancy and glamorous.. I would drop anything to help this man out. What a stunning human being!!!
Alexa
8:42 pm on Sunday, May 15, 2011
Holden elementary school was where i transferred to after my parents got a new house. I was so scared of going to a new school for the first time. I remember Mrs. Shipley, my teacher. I was nervous all day untill Art class, where i walked in and found a very tall man with salt n pepper hair. Mr. Martin was his name and art was his game. i will never forget the winnie the pooh sculpture he let me make instead of a tiny pot. I still to this day have it!! Over my years at holden Mr. Martin was my favorite teacher,hands down. I fell in love with art, all art is beautiful and he really helped me see that art is a way of expression and life.
over the years i was in every art class in middle school and highschool. My main focus is photography. I took 4 years of photography, and thanks to this man art is one thing im majoring in.
Mr. Martin you have honestly helped a lot of kids express thier feelings in a heathly way. Kids may not admit it now in middle school but i know for a fact that you've helped me. I hope you know that too. you were a wonderful man, creative and down to earth. you will be loved and missed but atleast kids got to experience you for 36 years!!!
Happy retirement !
Alexa Feiler Holden art student in 2000-2002(ish)
chris crow
11:48 pm on Sunday, May 15, 2011
Karl Martin will always be my art teacher, retired or not. His classes along with all of the other wonderful teachers in the Kent Schools made me strive to learn throughout my life. Mr. Martin showed us all the world is a classroom, not the walls, from the leaves and twigs to the birds and the clouds. We are all fortunate to have had such a wonderful and encouraging instructor as Karl Martin. My siblings and I all loved every one of Mr. Martin's classes through our years , approx 165 classes between the five of us.
From the Hayes's and the Crow among them, we wish you the best in your retirement Karl! You have left us with only the best memories!
-C.Crow
Christina Steele
5:45 am on Monday, May 16, 2011
A teacher I will always remember! I still have a yearbook from Walls that Mr. Martin signed for me at the end of my 5th grade year. I will never forget how he took the time to stop and encourage a chubby, introverted little girl. Best of luck to you in your retirement!
Christina Dillon Steele (student from'83-'89)
Ray
4:37 pm on Wednesday, May 25, 2011
I had Mr Martin at walls. I remember drawing his kangaroo shoes with their pockets, the likes of which we'd never seen. I also remember that he folded his tall body into a little opel GT, which I also think we drew at some point, along with his motorcycle. a classic hippie kent teacher. best of luck to you in the future, Mr. Martin.
Fred Lubin
7:23 pm on Saturday, July 30, 2011
Congratulations to Karl, old Baltimore, MD high school friend, 1966-1969. Karl -- if I had known, back then, that you were so talented, serious and responsible, I wouldn't have wasted your time with so much frivolous foolish fun.