In 1976, the AISD Planetarium began its full operation.
Although the original plans drawn of the middle school did not include a planetarium, Dr.
Norman Hall, superintendent of schools during the building of the Middle School, discussed
the change of plans with the architect and presented the change to the board of trustees.
The action item was voted on and approved on a 5-2 vote and the planetarium officially
became part of the new middle school, which was under construction. Dr. Hall discussed
with principal Forest Scott the need to find personnel to give direction to the facility.
Scott, in turn, asked J. Mark Wallace, chairman of the junior high science department, to
become the director. Scott and Wallace made some visits to other planetariums in the state
before the district accepted the Spitz Space Systems contract.

The new Middle School was completed in late October of
1975. The building was occupied in November. Bill Dever of Spitz Space Systems began
installing the planetarium equipment in January of 1976. He taught Mark about the
state-of-the-art equipment as he installed the Spitz 512-A system. The pin-hole projector
casts some 1800 stars onto the thirty-foot aluminum perforated dome. The system had
special effect projectors and an Advent sound system.

The projection instrument was equipped with an automation
system (one of 18 Spitz automated systems in the world at that time) which had the
capability of playing back any previously recorded function. In 1976, there were only 28
planetarium systems in the state. El Paso, Richardson, Highland Park, Irving, Grand
Prairie and Port Neches were the only school districts operating planetariums. All other
planetariums were in colleges, universities, and museums. Upon the completion of the
planetarium facility, Andrews joined this elite group .

By March 1976, the installation of the system was
completed with the exception of the seating. The first programs were presented while
student audiences sat on the floor. Research in 1974 reported that only 2% of the American
public had ever seen a planetarium show.

In the summer of 1976, the school district sent Mark
Wallace to West Chester State College in Pennsylvania for a course in planetarium
education. They also attended school at Spitz Space Systems to study technical aspects of
the system. Jan Wallace, high school history teacher,  also chose to attend the
summer institute.

During that summer, a sixty-seat configuration was added
to the facility. After the summer training, the director started planning for producing
programs for the 1976-77 school year. The first in-house production was The Explorers,
a program that explained the importance of celestial navigation by Diaz, Balboa, Magellan,
and Columbus. The first public show, The Star of Bethlehem, was presented on
several dates before the Christmas holidays.

For the first year and a half the director taught science
in the classroom for half a day and then worked in the planetarium half a day. This soon
was changed to full-time directorship because of the demands made in teaching and
producing in-house programs. Later, some commercial programs were purchased and shown to
students as well as the public. Programs were produced for middle school and elementary
units in science, language arts, history, reading and many other subjects. AISD
Planetarium hosted other school districts as well. Klondike, Lamesa, Denver City, Jal, and
Eunice were regulars for a number of years. Programs were also presented to various civic
groups, preschools, geology groups, engineering groups, as well as school clubs.

With each passing year the variety of programs increased
in number and sophistication. Additional special effects projectors were added and the
number of slide projectors increased. Panorama systems and ClearLight slide controllers
were added. Beginning with a total audience of 2,500 the first year, numbers increased to
8,000 the second year, and reached an average of 13,000.

Mark served as director for ten years (1975-1985).
Beginning in the fall of 1985, Lana Woodlock became the director. In those ten years
(1985-1996), she made many additions to the physical facilities. Numerous special effects
projectors and additional control panels were added and a new wiring scheme was completed.
A PC computer with an East Coast Control System and Hercules software
were also purchased to further enhance the ability to automate the system. At the end of
the 1995-96 school year, Lana retired.

Jan Wallace was hired as director beginning in August
1996. During the 1996-1997 school year, another computer and a Sharp projector were
installed along with updating and repairing the sound recording system. Unfortunately, the
Spitz technician found it impossible to repair the 22-year-old automation system which now
sets some limits on programs produced. Nevertheless, the facility has a great deal of use
and the computer/projector system has provided diversity of use for meetings, computer
training, Internet training, and other functions along with normal use by elementary and
middle school science, language arts, social studies classes.

During 1998-99 school year, the
AISD Planetarium upgraded equipment. This process included automating the 512 projector,
special effects projectors, and the cove lighting system. AISD technicians prepared for
the installations by upgrading the electrical service. The new cove system was installed
by Jon Frantz of East Coast Control Systems, Bigler, PA. He also automated the special
effects projectors and the laser disk player. Dave Harper of Spitz installed the 512
projector automation.

During the summer of 1999, after
upgrading equipment, carpeting, improving seating, and planning for software training, a
search ensued for an experienced planetarium director to replace the retiring director.
The selection finally centered on Charles Hemann, Assistant Director of the planetarium at
the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He began his official duties as AISD
Planetarium Director on September 7, 1999. The next steps will be to improve the
astronomy-specific curriculum during the  fall of 1999, with input from district
teachers, and to plan comprehensively for a more extensive contribution in science at all
levels in AISD.