It’s a party!
And everyone is invited.
To honor retiring Scott District 1 Superintendent Berley Goodin, a community celebration is set at the Austin High School auditorium this Sunday afternoon, May 19.
The event will kick off at 2 p.m. and will allow people to thank and honor Supt. Goodin for his 52 years of service to the school district and community of Austin.
His total of 52 years has to be a record  for being employed by a school system in Indiana. Goodin was also educated by District 1 teachers. he started first grade in 1945 and graduated from the high school in 1957. He played several sports while a student, but he excelled in baseball, catching the eye of professional recruiters and receiving an invitation to try out as a pitcher for the prestigious Baltimore Orioles.
But his career aspirations did not include the sport he truly enjoyed. Instead, Goodin earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education with a minor in business at nearby Hanover College in the spring of 1961. He began teaching sixth grade at Austin that fall.
His career included getting his master’s degree in education from Indiana University in 1964 and his superintendent’s license from the same university in 1965. He did all that while he and his wife, the former Doris Jewell of Crothersville, began their family. Their children, Lisa and twins Jerry and Terry, were all educated in District 1. Lisa now serves as principal at Jesse Clark Middle School in Lexington, Ky. Dr. Terry Goodin is superintendent of Crothersville Community Schools. Sgt. Jerry Goodin serves as public relations officer for the Sellersburg post of the Indiana State Police.
Through those years, Berley Goodin continued his teaching and coached several sports teams. He has also served as principal of Austin High School and then accepted the post of superintendent after the retirement of then-superintendent Ellsworth Chandler in 1982.
Both buildings and staff have changed over the years in District 1, but teachers knew, if they became D1 employees, most likely they would serve several generations of students before they themselves retired after completing satisfactory careers.
And things did change under Goodin’s steady guidance. In 1972, the new Austin High School was built south of the rest of the sprawling school complex. The old 1936 high school building became Austin Middle School. After the combined AHS/AMS facility was built with the community’s first auditorium for school and local programs, the older building was recreated into an after-school facility for D1 children.
Now, it serves not only that purpose but also as the Austin Upper Elementary School, housing fourth and fifth graders.
Several athletic facilities were also constructed. The indoor pool and renovated or new track and field complex, tennis courts and softball and baseball fields took shape around the high school/middle school.
A new cross country course was also added.
Folks around here being lovers of roundball much like any other Indiana community, the school district’s four gymnasiums are in constant use, if not for youth and high school basketball, then for other sports or worthwhile activities that help Austin residents.
The schools’ academic competitions also grew. D1 students can excel in Spell Bowl or Academic Super Bowl subjects. The school district continues to support Scott County TV, the local communications channel offered by Insight/Warner Communications.
Walking in the Great Hall at AHS/AMS, people can view the photos of past generations of students proudly smiling while holding honors won. In other halls of the high school, visitors can see year after year of AHS graduates beaming from class photos.
Though those faces consistently changed, as warranted, Supt. Goodin has remained a constant. He is to be thanked for his efforts.
And Sunday is the day to do it.

There’s plenty of items to like at the charity auction set for Saturday night, May 11, to raise funds for the 2013 WHAS Crusade for Children.