By Bruce Rolfe
A long time educator and administrator in the Climax-Scotts School District is being remembered as a man who made an impact on many during his long career.
Dale F. Smith, 75 of Scotts, passed away September 10, 2026.
Smith started at C-S teaching social studies and Spanish at the high school in 1973 and retired in 2004.
He left an impact in the classroom as a teacher, on the sidelines as a coach and longtime football team statistician and as the C-S adult education director, a position he secured in 1984.
He almost single handedly got the Adult Education program off the ground, turning it into a major revenue maker for the C-S School District.
He was very outgoing when recruiting students for the Adult Education program and when he saw an opportunity to recruit somebody, he didn’t hesitate,
Smith, who also taught Adult Education in the Vicksburg and Galesburg-Augusta School Districts one year, said in an interview with the Crescent in August, 1999, the county projected the C-S School District with having just 3.75 Full Time Equivalency (FTE) students when he began to get the Adult Education program off the ground.
With hard work, he was able to recruit more students to enter the C-S Adult Education program. He wound up getting 23 FTE students the first year of the program. The program drew nearly 60 students from 1984 to 1994. Smith told the Crescent in 1999, the number swelled to 63 for the 1998-1999 winter semester, generating approximately $425,000 for the district. He also noted in 1999 over the previous 15 years the Adult Education and Alternative Education programs generated over $4 million in revenue for the local school district while he served as director.
It was how Dale encouraged students and made them believe they could reach their goals that impressed many.
Nikki Felton, of Climax, said Smith was the reason she graduated from high school.
She said she was on her own at the age of 17 and had to work a full time job to pay her bills.
She recalled she was also concerned she wasn’t attending school.
“I wanted to graduate but had to work to survive. That’s when Dale told me all about the Adult Education program Climax-Scotts High School offered in the evening. I was able to work during the day, go to school at night and graduate with an actual high school diploma, not a GED,” said Felton.
She said the best part was she completed her Adult Education requirements in 1999 when she was supposed to graduate.
“If it wasn’t for Dale I would have never been able to succeed. He always made himself available if I ever needed to talk or get advice on life. I will never forget his big heart and dedication to help whenever it was needed,” adds Felton.
Chris Davis, a 2004 graduate of C-S High School, was impressed how Smith encouraged students.
“He was the most influential teacher I’ve had in my entire education tenure. He was also very supportive of the process and was a big part of what caused me to run for school board while still a high school senior before I went on to be elected just after graduation. He was a great man and a great educator,” said Davis.
Dale and his wife Janice combined to teach 60 years at C-S.
Originally from Massillon, Ohio, Dale accepted a job at C-S in 1973 where he remained for 31 years. Janice taught at C-S 29 years in the elementary school.
He also taught economics, government, current events, history, political science, psychology and Spanish at C-S.
Dale was also active at C-S away from the classroom. He was 9th grade boys basketball coach two years, 8th grade boys basketball coach three years, JV boys basketball coach two years, girls varsity
basketball coach four years, Jr. High track coach one year and was even a cheerleader coach one year when nobody stepped forward and he was asked to oversee the team a year. He was sophomore class sponsor 12 years, freshman sponsor two years, and led the International Relations and Varsity Clubs two years. He even found time to serve as a Village Council Trustee three years.
He was also foreign language curriculum committee chair 29 years, social studies curriculum committee chair 18 years and was a social studies curriculum committee member 31 years.
He was also well known for serving as the varsity football team statistician, serving in that role for over 35 years before stepping down after the 2012 season.
Even though computers were eventually relied on to compile stats, Dale was old school. He would show up on the sidelines with a clipboard, a stat sheet and pencil. He added the numbers up in his head. He always asked students to assist each year and gave them a set of clipboards containing more stat sheets, a pencil and a sucker for their effort.
Dale is survived by his wife Janice, his daughter, Dr. Jennifer (Mickey) Carman of Augusta, grandchildren, Makenna (Tim) Lotter and Kasey Carman; brother, David Smith of Abingdon, VA; nieces, Brenta Harris and Jessica (Alex) Katrompas; great nephews, Alex and Spencer; and countless friends including his feline friend, Sophie.
No public services are planned.
A long time educator and administrator in the Climax-Scotts School District is being remembered as a man who made an impact on many during his long career.
Dale F. Smith, 75 of Scotts, passed away September 10, 2026.
Smith started at C-S teaching social studies and Spanish at the high school in 1973 and retired in 2004.
He left an impact in the classroom as a teacher, on the sidelines as a coach and longtime football team statistician and as the C-S adult education director, a position he secured in 1984.
He almost single handedly got the Adult Education program off the ground, turning it into a major revenue maker for the C-S School District.
He was very outgoing when recruiting students for the Adult Education program and when he saw an opportunity to recruit somebody, he didn’t hesitate,
Smith, who also taught Adult Education in the Vicksburg and Galesburg-Augusta School Districts one year, said in an interview with the Crescent in August, 1999, the county projected the C-S School District with having just 3.75 Full Time Equivalency (FTE) students when he began to get the Adult Education program off the ground.
With hard work, he was able to recruit more students to enter the C-S Adult Education program. He wound up getting 23 FTE students the first year of the program. The program drew nearly 60 students from 1984 to 1994. Smith told the Crescent in 1999, the number swelled to 63 for the 1998-1999 winter semester, generating approximately $425,000 for the district. He also noted in 1999 over the previous 15 years the Adult Education and Alternative Education programs generated over $4 million in revenue for the local school district while he served as director.
It was how Dale encouraged students and made them believe they could reach their goals that impressed many.
Nikki Felton, of Climax, said Smith was the reason she graduated from high school.
She said she was on her own at the age of 17 and had to work a full time job to pay her bills.
She recalled she was also concerned she wasn’t attending school.
“I wanted to graduate but had to work to survive. That’s when Dale told me all about the Adult Education program Climax-Scotts High School offered in the evening. I was able to work during the day, go to school at night and graduate with an actual high school diploma, not a GED,” said Felton.
She said the best part was she completed her Adult Education requirements in 1999 when she was supposed to graduate.
“If it wasn’t for Dale I would have never been able to succeed. He always made himself available if I ever needed to talk or get advice on life. I will never forget his big heart and dedication to help whenever it was needed,” adds Felton.
Chris Davis, a 2004 graduate of C-S High School, was impressed how Smith encouraged students.
“He was the most influential teacher I’ve had in my entire education tenure. He was also very supportive of the process and was a big part of what caused me to run for school board while still a high school senior before I went on to be elected just after graduation. He was a great man and a great educator,” said Davis.
Dale and his wife Janice combined to teach 60 years at C-S.
Originally from Massillon, Ohio, Dale accepted a job at C-S in 1973 where he remained for 31 years. Janice taught at C-S 29 years in the elementary school.
He also taught economics, government, current events, history, political science, psychology and Spanish at C-S.
Dale was also active at C-S away from the classroom. He was 9th grade boys basketball coach two years, 8th grade boys basketball coach three years, JV boys basketball coach two years, girls varsity
basketball coach four years, Jr. High track coach one year and was even a cheerleader coach one year when nobody stepped forward and he was asked to oversee the team a year. He was sophomore class sponsor 12 years, freshman sponsor two years, and led the International Relations and Varsity Clubs two years. He even found time to serve as a Village Council Trustee three years.
He was also foreign language curriculum committee chair 29 years, social studies curriculum committee chair 18 years and was a social studies curriculum committee member 31 years.
He was also well known for serving as the varsity football team statistician, serving in that role for over 35 years before stepping down after the 2012 season.
Even though computers were eventually relied on to compile stats, Dale was old school. He would show up on the sidelines with a clipboard, a stat sheet and pencil. He added the numbers up in his head. He always asked students to assist each year and gave them a set of clipboards containing more stat sheets, a pencil and a sucker for their effort.
Dale is survived by his wife Janice, his daughter, Dr. Jennifer (Mickey) Carman of Augusta, grandchildren, Makenna (Tim) Lotter and Kasey Carman; brother, David Smith of Abingdon, VA; nieces, Brenta Harris and Jessica (Alex) Katrompas; great nephews, Alex and Spencer; and countless friends including his feline friend, Sophie.
No public services are planned.
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