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Carl Waits came to Dripping Springs in 1965 to be a teacher and coach at Dripping Springs High School. He served in that role for 30 years. His coaching stints included 12 years as head football coach, 5 years as head boys basketball coach, 8 years as head track coach, three years as head baseball coach and 13 years as head golf coach.
Then, he moved into the transportation department and took up bus driving, which he did for another 30 years. Now, with 60 years under his belt, all at DSISD, he is hanging up his keys. We asked him to answer a few questions about his extensive career.
How did you end up working in Dripping Springs?
It is always so funny how things happen to make your world what it is, and how sometimes it is such a minor thing that can cause it. When I came down to meet with the trustees to interview for the teaching job, I knew nothing about Dripping Springs. There was another candidate that night, and so it was a 50-50 of me getting the job. When looking for jobs, I tried to look for places that would put me away from my home and family but close enough it was easy to visit.
The distance was 95 miles, which fit my bill there. I did not know where Dripping Springs was. Someone told me, oh it is on the other side of Austin near Lake Travis. I thought that was easy enough, so I did not consult my map. When I got to Oak Hill, there was a sign that said Lake Travis, so I confidently took 71. After going a few miles and not seeing many houses, I assumed I was lost. When I came upon Johnson Trading Post, I stopped and asked directions to Dripping Springs. I get on Hamilton Pool road, then onto RR12 and then down old Fitzhugh into DS.
None of the roads were paved. It was at this point I began to doubt if I wanted the job, if this was the only way to get to Dripping Springs. Shortly thereafter, I found out if I had stayed on 290 I would have gotten there 30 minutes earlier and would have had time to get a meal at the Western Kitchen.
Well, as it turned out the trustees looked favorably on me, and the rest is history, as they say.
What inspired you to begin a career in education?
Two of my high school coaches that I really liked went to Sam Houston State, and that made me want to go there. I thought I wanted to be a teacher as well. My mother wanted me to major in business, so I started taking the business course of action. Slowly I went back to the teacher / coach notion. I found out I did not have to major in P.E. to coach, and since I was already deep in business courses, I just minored in PE and got a BS in Business.
What was Dripping Springs like when you started teaching here?
Dripping Springs was a small rural community with large ranches, and most of the other residents either worked at the school or held jobs in Austin. As for the school, we were a Class B size with around 100 in high school and 300 in the whole school - all grades housed on the one campus. There were only two coaches employed. Coach Oran Rippy was the head football coach and I was his assistant. We split the other sports. He took all the girls and some boys. I had the rest.
What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen since you started?
Growth is it. The Lake Travis-Dripping Springs school split occurred in 1981, with roughly 80% of the students staying at DS and 20% of the valuation. Ranchers started selling off land to begin making subdivisions, and growth continued until this day.
What has kept you motivated to stay for 60 years?
Well, I have never been a mover. Basically I only resided in three places in my lifetime. I like the adage that if you find a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life. I think that fits me. I bucked the advice that people in my profession were given: Plant shrubs, not trees; Rent don't buy.
What is a great moment that stands out in your memory?
I've had many great moments in my way of thinking, and they were not always from successes. It has always been such a blessing to be around the kids and the adults in my life. I just really enjoy the banter and fun of back and forth. Watching the kids grow and become useful citizens just can't get any better.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced?
I'm sure there have been some challenges along the way, but they haven't made an impression on me because usually they just turned into opportunities for improvement down the road.
How do you hope to be remembered by your colleagues and students?
I hope they remember me fondly without having to stretch the truth to do so. I hope they remember me as a friendly person with a smile on my face, and that I have treated them fairly.
Have any of your former students kept in touch or come back to share their successes?
I have been blessed beyond imagination with fond memories of former students. Keeping in touch with most is a very easy accomplishment, because in the early days all the students and their parents were just like a big, personable family. You really get to know all in a lasting way, and it has been that way all my life with my former students. It is so rewarding to see them again at the various events that take place. My life has continually been upgraded by the conversations and memories of days gone by. Why would anyone want to get away from this?
More about Carl Waits Waits was born in 1942 in Durango, Texas and grew up in Rogers, Texas. He graduated from Rogers High School in 1959, and from Sam Houston State in 1963 (BS) and 1965 (MEd). He married his wife Carolyn Sue (Susie) in 1962. They have one son (Tim); two granddaughters (Emily, Allison); and a great-grandson (Daniel). He’s been a sportswriter for 45 years, the last 34 with the Dripping Springs Century-News. He researched and compiled the history of all Dripping Springs sports, including team and player varsity stats, to set up school records. He also published a book in 2003, “The Complete History of Dripping Springs, Texas and the P. A. Smith Survey.”
