Former Los Alamos Public Schools Superintendent Duane ‘Smitty’ Smith. Courtesy/Kelly Meyers

By SHARON SNYDER
Los Alamos

How many times do drivers going north along Diamond Drive look toward the civic auditorium and wonder, “Who was Duane Smith and why is his name on the auditorium?”

For me, he was the principal at the high school who helped recover my lost class ring in 1965, but, of course he was so much more. Mike Katko, Los Alamos poet and author, remembers “Smitty” as a friend who always had a smile.

Before settling in Los Alamos, Smith had taught biology and was a head football coach, revered for taking his team to a state championship, quite a deed for Loup City, Nebr., a small town with a population of 1,173 in 2010!

From 1959 until his untimely death in 1979 at age 48, “Smitty” or Mr. Smith to the students, worked for the Los Alamos Public Schools.

During his tenure at the high school, he served as a guidance counselor and completed seven summers of summer school. During that time he took one year to complete and defend his dissertation. From that he made his way through the ranks of the Los Alamos Public School District and later became Director of Special Education. In 1971 he was appointed Superintendent of the Los Alamos Public Schools.

“Smitty” was a favorite with teachers, maintenance staff, administrators, coaches, state superintendents, administrative assistants, students, and parents.

Fifteen years after his death in 1994, many Los Alamos people sought to honor Smitty’s contributions to the Los Alamos Public Schools community by renaming the civic auditorium the Duane W. Smith Auditorium. In 2018, Joan Smith Brown and Kelly Myers, with tremendous support from the Los Alamos Community Foundation, established The Duane W. Smith Auditorium Endowment to assist with the maintenance and upgrades of the auditorium.

At one time or another, Los Alamos residents and students attend lectures, music, or plays at the auditorium. As they are seated in this lovely structure, I hope they take a moment to say, “Thank you, Mr. Smith.”

Donations to the Duane W. Smith Auditorium Endowment Fund accepted at the Los Alamos Community Foundation, www.losalamoscf.org.