Lowville school district gets gift of $3,000 statue

LOWVILLE — A 1946 Lowville Academy and Central School graduate has given his alma mater a $3,000 bronze statue as a 200th birthday present.

William J. Louis, a retired college theater professor and artist from Kansas City, Mo., in September donated a bronze bust titled "Young David." It is now in a display case near the high school cafeteria but is slated for display in the high school library.

"We're thrilled with the donation and its inspiration to our students," district Superintendent Kenneth J. McAuliffe said.

As part of the district's bicentennial celebration this year, alumni were asked to make donations to the school or to help support the festivities planned over the Fourth of July weekend.

After contacting school officials, Mr. Louis sent a portfolio of his work and asked them to pick out a piece for display here.

"There were no prices on anything," Mr. McAuliffe said.

As it turns out, the selected piece is valued at $3,000, he said.

Mr. Louis also built a pedestal on which to display the piece and paid all shipping costs.

"When I was in high school, in art, I was always the happiest," Mr. Louis said in a recent telephone interview.

The Castorland native, who worked at Climax Manufacturing Co. while in school, served in the Army, then earned bachelor's and master's degrees in literature and drama from Boston College and a doctorate from Stanford University in California.

He taught theater courses at a variety of colleges and universities, including Le Moyne College in Syracuse and schools in France, British Columbia and New Mexico, before completing his teaching career at Avila University in Kansas City.

After taking art courses at different collegiate stops, Mr. Louis in 1990 earned a studio art degree at Avila. "They made me an artist in residence," he said.

Since his retirement a couple of years later, Mr. Louis has concentrated on his new career. "That takes all my time, so I don't have time for theater," he said.

He said his artwork consists primarily of clay pieces and paintings, but he did "Young David" while a student at Avila, using a fellow student's son as the model.

While the boy's name was Jonathan, Mr. Louis said, he named the piece after the biblical David, who became king of Israel. The artist said the boy's expression caused him to envision the young David thinking about God.

Mr. Louis is the author of several books, including a compilation of his poetry titled "Spiritual Musings" that is available through the Avila College bookstore. The bookstore's Web site is at www.avila.bkstr.com.

Mr. Louis speaks highly of former Lowville Academy teacher Ruth Allison, crediting her with nurturing his love of art. That's similar to what more recent graduates say about longtime art teacher Carolyn A. Tyne, Mr. McAuliffe said.

The school art program has "a long history here," he said, and that should be enhanced by the ongoing $32.8 million bicentennial project.

The project includes conversion of the "old gym" in the basement, which essentially has been untouched since its construction more than 80 years ago, into a mezzanine-style art room with an upstairs gallery.

"It's right out of 'Hoosiers,'" Mr. McAuliffe said of the old gymnasium.