As a beloved French teacher, Carol Smith didn’t just teach a world language, she made it come to life. Her classroom was filled with creativity and fun from songs to dancing to French cuisine -her students were always entertained. Through these engaging lessons, she instilled a lifelong love of French culture in her students and sparked a global curiosity that led many of them to explore the world. The Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation will celebrate “Madame Smith” at the 16th annual Educator Hall of Fame for leaving a legacy that extended far beyond her classroom walls.
Carol’s journey into education began in Coffeyville, Kansas where she was born into a family of educators. Her father was a coach and teacher, and her mother was an elementary school educator. In high school, as President of the Kansas Latin Club and an exceptional French student, she knew she wanted a career that involved language. But she credits her high school French teacher for creating the spark that would eventually lead Carol to a lifelong passion of teaching French.
In 1964, while attending college at Kansas State Teachers College (now Pittsburg State University), Madame Smith signed up for a university-sponsored trip to France. When no other
students signed up, she travelled alone to Paris, enrolled at Sorbonne University, and immersed herself in the culture. It was an era of true adventure. She emerged from that summer not just fluent in French, but with the realization that to learn the language and culture of someone else teaches you an appreciation and love for others, who might be different from you. That
philosophy grounded the lessons she later taught to thousands of students.
Carol’s professional career began with a trial by fire in April 1965 at Eli Whitney Junior High in Tulsa. As a young, new teacher, she walked into a classroom that had driven off five previous
French teachers. The seventh and eighth graders were tough, but Carol won them over with her creativity. She quickly learned that if you can teach a middle schooler, you can teach anyone.
In late 1965, Carol moved to Bartlesville to begin her twenty-six year tenure with Bartlesville Public Schools. From College High to Sooner High, and eventually Bartlesville High School, Madame Smith became a fixture of the district. She was a pioneer of the immersive language approach in which her upper level courses often only spoke French from the moment they entered her room. But her focus wasn’t just on the language; it was on Culture Days, cuisine, film, and art. She engaged her students through song, dance, and most of all through storytelling, believing that “when you tell stories, you can do anything.”
Her classroom was a place of joy and her international trips were life-changing for her students. Throughout her career, she led many students on treks across Europe, often in small groups to France, but one epic trip included forty students visiting five countries. Madame Smith taught them how to navigate and respect cultural differences.
Madame Smith’s impact is evidenced by the countless letters from students that she has kept over the years and her former students who have gone on to do wonderful things and stayed in touch with her. That includes famous authors like Rilla Askew, the “Pioneer Woman” Ree Drummond, local business owner Rebekah Dorris, and candidate for congress, Erik Terwey.
Recognition followed her dedication. She was named the “Favorite Teacher” in 1967 by her students, the 1993 Bartlesville High School Teacher of the Year by her peers, and subsequently the District Teacher of the Year. Even as she reached the pinnacle of her career, she remained a student herself. At age 55, she returned to Paris to live with a local family and study at the Center of International Languages, proving that a true educator is always seeking knowledge. She earned her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from OSU in 1995, and embraced new technology when asked to teach at-risk students about the early internet.
Though she officially retired in 2002 after teaching over 4,000 students, Carol’s retirement has been anything but quiet. She immediately began teaching English as a second language at the former Douglass School and the public library. Recently, she taught English to a Ukrainian refugee family in Bartlesville, continuing her mission of building bridges between cultures.
Beyond the classroom, Carol has shared 49 years of marriage with her husband, Edward Smith, whom she jokingly notes looked just like Omar Sharif when they met. Together they raised a family of four, including twins Sherry and Terry and two stepsons, Edward and Thomas. Today, she remains an active voice in the Washington County Retired Educators, the League of Women Voters, and the Washington County Democrats. Most of all, she enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren.
In 2018, Carol faced her greatest challenge when she was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and given a two-to-five-year prognosis. Characteristically, she met the news with discipline and research, starting a rigorous rehab program. Eight years later, her doctors are amazed at her improvement and no longer are willing to put a clock on her longevity.
As she reflects on her career, Madame Smith hopes that her legacy extends beyond teaching a world language. She taught her students the importance of loving other cultures and other people
and both respecting and embracing differences.
This event is open to the public and tickets are available for $35 through the BPS Foundation’s website: https://bpsfoundation.org/educator-hall-of-fame/