Roll Call Tribute

Published in The Cincinnati (OH) Enquirer from May 26 to May 27, 2011

Donald Waldrip
Donald R. Waldrip spent his entire career in public education.

He served in leadership roles in districts across the country, supported school integration and was one of the founders of the magnet school movement.

He founded Magnet Schools of America, now based in Washington, D.C., which provided support and professional development for leaders of the roughly 4,000 magnet schools in the country.

However, those in Greater Cincinnati will remember him for his legacy here as superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools in the 1970s and as a founder of the acclaimed School for Creative and Performing Arts.

"That was really his baby," said his son, Timothy Waldrip of Northside. "He realized how critical it was for children to have (the arts) in their lives."

Dr. Waldrip, who lived in Mount Auburn while at CPS, died May 4 of cancer with complications from Parkinson's disease in Hot Springs Village, Ark. He was 82.

Dr. Waldrip grew up in Wichita Falls, Texas. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees at Midwestern State University in Texas and a doctorate in education from the University of Northern Colorado.

He served as superintendent in Wichita Falls and as assistant superintendent of the Dallas school district, before being hired by CPS for its top job in 1972.

This was during a nationwide push to desegregate schools. According to the transcript of a story Dr. Waldrip told at a 2000 magnet school conference, he was interviewed six times by various groups in Cincinnati before being offered the job.

One of his interviewers, an African American man, was skeptical and went to Texas to check him out. The man agreed to hire Dr. Waldrip only after hearing complaints from a Texas businessman that he had been "too close to the black community."

Dr. Waldrip served as CPS superintendent from 1972 to 1976 and sent his three children to district schools.

His approach to integration in Cincinnati included the launch of SCPA, then located in Mount Adams. It was the first public performing arts school in the country that included elementary and high school students. Considered a "magnet" school - a specialty school that draws students because of its focus on the arts - SCPA soon drew students from neighborhoods throughout the city, both black and white.

"It was extremely popular," said Norma Petersen, who is on the board of the Greater Cincinnati Arts & Education Center, which helped fund construction of the current SCPA building in Over-the-Rhine. She worked closely with Dr. Waldrip.

"All over the country, there was a separation between blacks and whites at the schools, and he felt it was through the talent of the individual that they'd get into school. It was changing the focus of education."

Mr. Waldrip helped launch 16 magnet schools in Cincinnati, including the first public Montessori school in the nation and the first foreign language immersion magnet elementary school.

He left the district in 1976, he said, out of frustration over where to relocate the expanding SCPA, among other issues. He performed magnet school consulting work until 1980, when he was appointed to run the controversial desegregation program at Cleveland Public Schools. The job included overseeing the forced busing of students across town to other schools to assure a racial balance.

In the 1980s, Mr. Waldrip founded Magnet Schools of America and served as its executive director. He describes on its website why he believes in magnet schools.

"If a magnet school voluntarily attracts students and teachers, it will succeed because, more than for any other reason, those in attendance want to be there.''

Although he lived in Arkansas at the time of his death, he'd stayed involved with Cincinnati and toured the new SCPA building, which opened in August 2010.

Timothy Waldrip described his father as a man of conviction.

"He was a man who believed in something and he stood up for it," said his son, who attended SCPA and went on to become a successful stage and television actor.

Dr. Waldrip worked with school systems until six months before he died.

In addition to his son, survivors include wife of 26 years, Billie Waldrip of Hot Springs Village, Ark.; a daughter, Wendy Gentile of Woodlands, Texas; another son, Jay Waldrip of Maple Falls, Wash.; his first wife (and their mother), Ceil Cleveland of Durham N.C.,; three grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held noon Friday at Christ of the Hills Methodist Church in Hot Springs Village. Condolences: www.atkinsonfuneralhome.net.

Memorials: The Friends Organization of the School for Creative and Performing Arts, 108 W. Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

Written by Jessica Brown | jbrown@enquirer.com
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From ObituaryRegistry.com

HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE - Donald R. Waldrip, of Hot Springs Village, died May 4, 2011. Dr. Waldrip spent his entire career in the service of public education for all children. He was in the forefront of development of public magnet schools in the nation and was considered the "father of magnet schools" by everyone who knew him professionally. He is survived by his loving wife of 26 years, Billie, of Hot Springs Village; three children; four cherished grandchildren;and a supportive extended family. A service celebrating Don's life will be held May 27 at noon in Christ of the Hills United Methodist Church, 700 Balearic Road, Hot Springs Village, AR 71909. Services are entrusted to the care of CedarVale Funeral Home.