Houston is t a song. It is a symphony composed by a diverse population and scored for an orchestra of talents and abilities. Its melody weaves a complicated tale that dances in and out of the rhythm that waxes and wanes with the music. The busy violins sing the song of those who labored to build the city, its leafy boulevards and wide streets, its parks and its homes. The beat of the percussion section are the workers who lay down a complex, continuous cadence - a base for the melody and harmony. Above it all is the high sweet theme of philanthropy and giving - the signature tune of a city that, when approached wisely, responds to the needs of the Houston and its citizens. The conductors change with the city's needs. Sometimes it is a mayor; sometimes a county judge, a district attorney, a sheriff, but the harmony is strongest when a civic leader steps to the fore. Daniel Calmes Arld is one of those leaders. Unlike some of the earlier civic chiefs who led by a fiat and force of will, Dan took the collaborative route. Houston might have been a small city when he was born in 1930, but by the 1960s, it was an orchestra of forces. He had the touch that could marshal forces for progress, making more friends than foes. Those friends became his army for progress. Houston is Dan's city and his home. He was born here. He grew up in its leafy green neighborhoods. He played in its parks and on its public tennis courts. He went to school in Houston, and then he left for college and law school in Austin. He brought his expertise and talents back to practice law. He reared a strong, vibrant family in its neighborhood. His wife, Beverly, is also a native Houstonian, and his passions became hers. They took responsibility for helping the city that had nurtured them and their families. The city was t only his responsibility. It was his delight, his bane and his success. When Houston was in trouble, he came to its aid. When its people needed services and care, when the city's leaders needed someone to solve a problem, Dan stood ready. It was t his day job or his vocation. It has been his avocation and his pleasure to ensure that the city he loved grows to meet the needs of all of its people, regardless of income, race, creed, ethnicity and color. Dan is a problem solver. No community exists without problems, but few have had men with the dedication and verve of Daniel C. Arld to look for answers. This book exists t to celebrate Dan but instead to provide a blueprint for the future. He will continue to work for Houston while breath remains in his body. He kws that there are others ready to take the torch from him. Their job will t be easy, but with perseverance and the support of the citizens of Houston, they will continue to improve this city. Houston is a great city, but it can get better. The leaders of the future will take it to new heights because of men like Dan, who heard the music from the beginning and could orchestrate the future.
