---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I feel that if I had not had an art…"
description: "\"I feel that if I had not had an art program in my school, I would have failed in a big way. My teachers knew I was intelligent, but they didn't quite k..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/064/david-small-15837_acting_i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-prog_1874112.png"
---

#  I feel that if I had not had an art program in my school…

![“I feel that if I had not had an art program in my school, I would have failed in a big way. My teachers knew I was intelligent, but they didn't quite know how I was ever going to apply that intelligence. The one or two teachers who knew me well knew that it would be through drawing or acting or…” quote by David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/064/david-small-15837_acting_i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-prog_1874112.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/064/david-small-15837_acting_i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-prog_1874112.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/064/david-small-15837_acting_i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-prog_1874112.png)

> “I feel that if I had not had an art program in my school, I would have failed in a big way. My teachers knew I was intelligent, but they didn't quite know how I was ever going to apply that intelligence. The one or two teachers who knew me well knew that it would be through drawing or acting or whatever means of expression I was allowed.”

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Art programs unlock ways for intelligent students to apply their abilities, especially when traditional teachers miss those pathways.

**In simple terms:** Art helps smart kids use their talent.

Key Takeaway

Support creative outlets in education.

Themes

education creativity potential

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

motivational educational

When to use this quote

- school curricula
- after‑school programs
- mentor guidance
- talent identification

Key Concepts

learning styles expressive arts talent development

Questions to Reflect On

- What if art isn’t offered?
- How can teachers spot hidden talents?

A Different Perspective

Not all schools have resources for arts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-program-2605432/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Feel Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-art-598919/) [Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent/) [Knew Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-drawing-2190686/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Failed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-failed-791560/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teachers Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers-knew-2070547/)

## Related quotes

> [The planets are never the same twice, they're always different, so they could compare the markings I had drawn with their current photographs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/the-planets-are-never-the-same-twice-they-re-always-different-so-they/)

[Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/)

> [As I very much liked to draw and paint as a child, I entered a special art program in high school, which was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-isaac-friedman/as-i-very-much-liked-to-draw-and-paint-as-a-child-i-entered-a-special/)

[Jerome Isaac Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-isaac-friedman/)

> [I was engaged in all the required courses of math and geometry, but the area that I blossomed in was the art program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-was-engaged-in-all-the-required-courses-of-math-and-geometry-but/)

[Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/)

> [It was only when I got to high school and was in the art program that my artistic talent was recognized. The art program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/it-was-only-when-i-got-to-high-school-and-was-in-the-art-program-that/)

[Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/)

> [When I first started teaching at Berkeley in 1958, I could not announce that I was gay to anybody, though probably quite a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-gunn/when-i-first-started-teaching-at-berkeley-in-1958-i-could-not/)

[Thom Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-gunn/)

> [For decades, the public school system failed too many children, so we passed the No Child Left Behind Act and demanded schools show results…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-decades-the-public-school-system-failed-too-many-children-so-we/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [“Teachers knew every one of the students, their secrets, their grades, their home situations. And all the students knew the teachers. It was like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-kahler/teachers-knew-every-one-of-the-students-their-secrets-their-grades/)

[Victoria Kahler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-kahler/)

> [I was hopeless at high school - I failed everything but Latin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/i-was-hopeless-at-high-school-i-failed-everything-but-latin/)

[Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/)

> [None of you has ever failed. School may have failed you. Goodbye to failure, children. Welcome to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marva-collins/none-of-you-has-ever-failed-school-may-have-failed-you-goodbye-to/)

[Marva Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marva-collins/)

> [I hated my teachers because I knew they didn't care, and I knew they had no control over me, so I hated them even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-goldfrapp/i-hated-my-teachers-because-i-knew-they-didn-t-care-and-i-knew-they/)

[Alison Goldfrapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-goldfrapp/)

> [“Admiral Tait Primary was a school that people from my home neighbourhood could only dream of. The teachers knew what they were doing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tendai-huchu/admiral-tait-primary-was-a-school-that-people-from-my-home/)

[Tendai Huchu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tendai-huchu/)

> [I was bullied everywhere I went by the kids, by the teachers. I never knew exactly why. It was probably because I was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-evans/i-was-bullied-everywhere-i-went-by-the-kids-by-the-teachers-i-never/)

[Lee Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-evans/)

> [In elementary school, I did well in science, but I was a poor writer. When I got to high school, I failed all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi/in-elementary-school-i-did-well-in-science-but-i-was-a-poor-writer/)

[Avi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi/)

> [School failed me, and I failed the school. It bored me. The teachers behaved like Feldwebel (sergeants). I wanted to learn what I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/school-failed-me-and-i-failed-the-school-it-bored-me-the-teachers/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [I knew comedy was the thing for me when I was the only Asian kid in high school... who failed math.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dat-phan/i-knew-comedy-was-the-thing-for-me-when-i-was-the-only-asian-kid-in/)

[Dat Phan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dat-phan/)

## More by David Small

> [Even though I have this solid career in picture books, I've not only been thinking about kids - because I don't think that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/even-though-i-have-this-solid-career-in-picture-books-i-ve-not-only/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I open journal, I look at the picture and I remember where I was. And I remember the time of day, the temperature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-open-journal-i-look-at-the-picture-and-i-remember-where-i-was-and-i/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I don't like my parents; I never will. I didn't cry at either of their funerals. I haven't missed them for five seconds. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-don-t-like-my-parents-i-never-will-i-didn-t-cry-at-either-of-their/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [Humanization and coming to understand somebody as a human being is about as good a kind of forgiveness as you can get, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/humanization-and-coming-to-understand-somebody-as-a-human-being-is/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I feel sorry for kids nowadays, because in the majority of schools across the country, the arts have been eliminated from the curriculum. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-feel-sorry-for-kids-nowadays-because-in-the-majority-of-schools/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I do keep up at night. I try not to let my mind go to extremes in the middle of the night because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-do-keep-up-at-night-i-try-not-to-let-my-mind-go-to-extremes-in-the/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I think all kids feel that their lives are tough, and that they've, been given an unfair shake for one reason or another. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-think-all-kids-feel-that-their-lives-are-tough-and-that-they-ve/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [Writing stories, adopting other characters, making up fantastic stories and tales, this is a way of perhaps enhancing who I am. Writing stories takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/writing-stories-adopting-other-characters-making-up-fantastic-stories/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I found great value in teaching students from the outset of their studies how to draw very realistically. Otherwise, you're starting deep into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-found-great-value-in-teaching-students-from-the-outset-of-their/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I used to teach on a college level, and I've taught in schools where kids just wanted to be artists, and I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-used-to-teach-on-a-college-level-and-i-ve-taught-in-schools-where/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I'm not a writer. I know a lot of writers; I know a handful of really excellent, great ones, and I know what they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-m-not-a-writer-i-know-a-lot-of-writers-i-know-a-handful-of-really/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [Mama had her little cough. Once or twice, some quiet sobbing, out of sight... Or the slamming of kitchen cupboard doors. That was her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/mama-had-her-little-cough-once-or-twice-some-quiet-sobbing-out-of/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [By the time that book So You Want to Be President? came along, we had already had enough presidents that had shown us that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/by-the-time-that-book-so-you-want-to-be-president-came-along-we-had/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [I've always been interested in a certain kind of sophistication in children's literature. I loved Roald Dahl; I loved the underlying nastiness of some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-a-certain-kind-of-sophistication-in/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

> [Leaders of the world, my message to you is simple: to achieve universal peace and understanding on this planet you have only to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/leaders-of-the-world-my-message-to-you-is-simple-to-achieve-universal/)

[David Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

[Explore all 40 David Small quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/)

## More Acting quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/)

[Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/)

> [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/)

[Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/)

> [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/)

[Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/)

> [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/)

[Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/)

> [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/)

[Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/)

> [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/)

[Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/)

> [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/)

[Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/)

> [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/)

[Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/)

> [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/)

[Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/)

> [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/)

[Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/)

> [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/)

[Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/)

> [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/)

[Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/)

> [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/)

[Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/)

[Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I feel that if I had not had an art program in my school, I would have failed in a big way. My teachers knew I was intelligent, but they didn't quite know how I was ever going to apply that intelligence. The one or two teachers who knew me well knew that it would be through drawing or acting or whatever means of expression I was allowed.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Small"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-program-in-my-school-i-would-have/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Acting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-program-in-my-school-i-would-have/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/064/david-small-15837_acting_i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-prog_1874112.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/064/david-small-15837_acting_i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-prog_1874112.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/064/david-small-15837_acting_i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-prog_1874112.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I feel that if I had not had an art program in my school, I would have failed in a big way. My teachers knew…” — David Small",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Small",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-small/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I feel that if I had...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-program-in-my-school-i-would-have/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-small/i-feel-that-if-i-had-not-had-an-art-program-in-my-school-i-would-have/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
