The Dream that Found a Voice

I want to take a minute today to talk about something that means a lot to me – Magnolia Speech School celebrating 70 years.

When you walk through the front doors at Magnolia Speech School, it’s easy to see a school. But when you really understand what happens here, you realize it’s so much more than just a school.

There are some places that are more than just a building. More than just a place where people come to work every day. More than just a functionality of living.

For 70 years, Magnolia Speech School is one of those places.

And it all started with Libba Matthews.

It wasn’t like Libba jumped out of bed one day and decided to create a unique school, being a mother was her necessity to invent. Libba’s son being born profoundly deaf invoked in her a mission to create a new pathway for a brighter future not just for her own son, but for all the families who had encountered the same circumstances as she did.

She had a vision 70 years ago that every child (including her own) deserved the opportunity to communicate, to learn, to be understood, and to have a voice.

And honestly, when you look around Magnolia today, you can see that her vision never stopped.

You see it in the students. You see it in the teachers and assistants. You see it in the therapists and our clinic. You see it in the administrative staff. You see it in the families. Most importantly, you see it in the little victories that might seem small to someone else but mean absolutely everything to a parent.

You see it when a child says a word for the first time.

You see it when a child who may have once struggled to communicate suddenly finds a way to tell their parents exactly what they are thinking.

You see it in the smile on a parent’s face when they realize, maybe for the first time, just how much their child can accomplish.

You see it when a child gains the confidence to walk into a classroom and knows that they belong.

Those moments are hard to put into words.

And that’s probably what is the most beautiful thing about Magnolia Speech School.

And that’s why celebrating 70 years isn’t just about celebrating a number.

It’s about celebrating the thousands of lives that have been touched by this school.

When I walk through Magnolia Speech School and see our students, staff, therapists, I can’t help but think about all of the people who came before us. All of the staff who dedicated their careers to these children. All of the parents who trusted Magnolia Speech School with something more precious than anything else in this world. All of the supporters believed enough in the mission to invest financially in its future.

I feel incredibly grateful to be part of the Magnolia Speech School story, and even more grateful to be able to help carry this mission forward.

Because her dream wasn’t about building a school. It was about giving children a voice and giving families hope.

Seventy years later, that dream is still alive.

And now, it’s our responsibility to make sure it’s alive for the next 70 years.

So, happy 70th anniversary, Magnolia Speech School.

Thank you to every staff member past and present, parent, student, donor, volunteer, board members, and friends who have helped make this place what it is.

And most importantly, thank you, Libba, for having the dream.

70 years later, we’re still living it.

written by: Joshua Friedel, Director of Institutional Advancement