Unwavering Positivity: A look into head custodian Dale Clark’s life and his stuck-on optimism

Video by Natalie Scholz. Story by Campbell Wood. 

Head custodian and building manager Dale Clark picks up two Dum Dum wrappers, an abandoned hall pass and someone’s leftover bag — still full — of Cheerios from the ground. He doesn’t roll his eyes or groan — just smiles.

For the past three years, Dale has come in every day at 9 a.m. to manage the 11 custodians that work at East. Whether he’s picking up the food left in the bathroom after every lunch or showing up at 6 a.m. the day after it snows to salt the sidewalks, Dale doesn’t complain.

Throughout his life, whatever situation is thrown his way — even the most unimaginable of circumstances — Dale’s optimism has prevailed. He never hesitates when a light bulb is dead or a pipe is leaking. Something needs to be fixed, he fixes it. Something needs to be cleaned, he cleans it. With a smile.

Assistant principal Britton Haney says that even when the administration is frustrated with an event they need to set up or something that needs to be fixed, Dale stays calm and gets to work. 

“Dale does a good job rolling with the bumps in the road,” Haney said. “With all of our jobs throughout life, there’s always things that pop up that you don’t expect. And he does a great job of just going, ‘Okay, we’ll get it done.’” 

When Dale first came to East, he noticed that a lot of the custodians didn’t enjoy work. To combat the negative mentality, he started to share compliments and thank you notes from teachers and families to show that their work doesn’t go unnoticed. 

“If you [had] seen this building eight years ago, [you would know that] the staff has just done an amazing job of cleaning it up and brightening all the halls and everything, making it a better place for students to feel proud that they go to East,” Haney said.

His optimism has been with him since he attended Prairie View A&M on a full-ride football scholarship. Even when his team went 0-10 his junior year, Dale wouldn’t let it discredit his attitude towards the game and he encouraged his teammates to enjoy the sport even if they weren’t winning.

Dale would motivate his teammates through leading by example — something he’s carried into his role at East. His attitude towards the game led him to be selected as team captain his junior and senior years of college. Since his teammates were the ones that voted him into the position, it made it more special for Dale. Through phone calls, college reunions and tailgates, Dale and his teammates are able to keep in touch and reminisce over the good times back on the field.

Dale’s father was never there to support him growing up, so when he became a dad in 1980 to the first of his six kids, Dalerick, he found that it made him a better father since it allowed him to rise above his circumstances. He chose to interpret not having a father as an opportunity to be the dad he always wanted. The one who was there for his kids. 

And he was. He was there at every track meet for his daughter Takisha — or as Dale calls her, “Pumpkin.” He was there at every football game for his sons, Dalerick and Dale Jr.

Dalerick called his dad during the summer before his junior year in college to tell Dale he had meningitis. Dale and his son said a prayer over the phone together, followed by the family leaving that morning to see him.

Dalerick died before they got there.

On May 16 this year, Takisha had the idea to release an assortment of blue and black balloons in her brother’s honor — they were close. The family gathered together to watch the few dozen balloons float away. It was Dalerick’s 39th birthday.

Whenever someone asks Dale about his son, he has one response:

“About two weeks before he passed, he and my daughter had a conversation and he told her, ‘You know, if God called me home right now, I’m ready.’”

Dale has turned to God in all the hardships that have come his way. Whether it was financial difficulty or when he had a rare lung disease and was told he had two weeks to live — God was there. 

Dale took this as a form of acceptance and channeled his grief towards his religion.

He’s sought religion as another way to make a difference and spread positivity. He teaches adult Sunday school classes and is an ordained minister at his church, and every once in awhile he preaches a sermon.

“It’s just your life walk with Christ, and they can see you living what you’re talking about,” Dale said.

And you can see Dale living the life he talks about. A happy one.

“I think the best part is Dale usually comes to school every day with a smile on his face and he just has a happy heart,” Haney said. “He’s you know, family first kind of guy. It’s all about people, he doesn’t let the other stress in our lives get in the way.”