Marlene Nall Johnt

Marlene Nall Johnt had the lousiest exposure to art in public school that one can imagine. Art courses were not offered in her district. By the time she graduated, she recalled a typing class where she had to type sentences in the shape of a bell for Christmas. "That's about all I've learned about art this year," she remembered thinking. Overcoming this lack of formal exposure was a challenge at the Univ. of Alabama where she majored in Art Ed. The other students from more fortunate school systems were far and away more skilled than she. Not necessarily more talented, just more skilled. When Marlene started teaching school she vowed she would give her art students what she missed. It served her well. She earned a Masters in Art Ed where she was a Teacher's Assistant. She eventually was selected Alabama Hi. Sc. Art Teacher of the Year. She supervised dozens of Art Ed. majors doing their Student Teaching from major universities. Upon retirement, she wrote a 300 page book," A Retired Art Teacher Tells All" with hopes that new teachers could benefit from her hard learned tricks and skills that aided over a 23 yr. teaching career in Middle and High School art programs.