Page 82 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2018- Online Magazine

HONORING J.T. & MARGARET

T ALKINGT ON

J.T. and Margaret

Talkington Fine Arts

Center

AT ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

BY CELESTE THOMPSON

J.T. and Margaret Talkington
were known for being dreamers,
doers, and trailblazers in the
Lubbock community, so it seems
fitting that their gift to All Saints
Episcopal School brought about
the realization of a dream for
the school. A substantial grant
from the Talkington Foundation
provided an opportunity for All
Saints to create a fine arts facility also created for the fine arts faculty. will be carried forward by the next
that lifted the school’s arts programming generation of young leaders whom we
to new heights. The opening of the Talkington Fine Arts have the honor to serve. Thank you,
Center at All Saints ushered in a new
The history behind the Talkington era for arts education in the school. Margaret and J.T.
Fine Arts Center takes us back to 1990, The modern and spacious areas allow
when local philanthropists and avid a large number of students to enjoy
All Saints supporters, Adolph and Judy participating in one or more of the
Hanslik, made a generous gift for the numerous arts offerings. Summer
school’s first gymnasium. The Hanslik enrichment camps provide creative
Gymnasium was a hub for many experiences for students beyond
student activities, including daily chapel the school year. The facilities also
services, athletics, and numerous school host meetings, special presentations,
events. Over the years, as the school and celebrations. The Lubbock
grew and progressed, a second gym was community at large has also enjoyed
added, and later a high school gym, to use of the facilities, as it is often rented
serve the new high school that opened by outside groups for workshops,
in 2012. Architects for the high school rehearsals and productions.
and campus expansion suggested that
the school might consider repurposing For more than 60 years, All Saints
the Hanslik Gym, in order to provide has offered a premier educational
much needed space for the growing fine opportunity for students in Lubbock
arts program. A plan was devised to and the surrounding area. The pillars
reconfigure the gym, allowing multiple of that education are academics, fine
spaces, to include a state of the art band arts, athletics, spiritual development
and orchestra hall with instrument and community service. As we look
storage, a black box theater with storage to the future, we are confident that
area for props, and an enlarged choir the Talkington’s love of education, the
hall with practice rooms. Offices were arts, and their devotion to community

82 Lubbock Senior Link