Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 2-23-16 Edition

Features
35-Year Career In School System Coming To A Close
Local Historian Collecting Photographs Of West Tampa
Coach Franklin R. Brooks is counting the days that remain in this week as he will be closing out a 35- year career in the Hillsbor- ough County School System. As those days dwindle, he looks back on the years he spent as a teacher and a coach.
Brooks is closing out his career at Nathan B. Young Middle Magnet Creative Sci- ence Center Upper Campus, where he has spent the last 18 years of his career under Ms. Nadine Johnson, Principal – a tenure that began under the leadership of Dr. Margaret Fisher.
A retirement celebration will honor Brooks and a co- worker, Bryant Haith on Friday, February 26, 2016, at 3 p. m. in the school’s Media Center.
Brooks’ educational journey began at Dillard El- ementary School (Sulphur Springs). He also attended Young Junior High School, where he was described as an outstanding student/ath- lete. Those he says were very instrumental in the success of his educational career were: Rigoberto Garcia, Curry Carmichael and the late James Gatlin.
Starting his 10th grade year at Middleton Senior High School, Brooks played on the varsity basketball team that competed in the State of Florida Basketball Champi- onship with such talents as the late Andrew Frazier, the late Andrew “Two- Man” James, Ernest Mathis, Ed Johnson and a host of other talented ath- letes.
Coach Arthur “Bronco” Smith, Jr. played a huge role as a men- tor during his high school, college and professional ca- reer.
Because of the Desegrega- tion Act, Brooks trans- ferred to King High School.
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT BROOKS
He was determined to suc- ceed and became an out- standing student/athlete and basketball player. Brooks earned a full scholarship to Alcorn State University where he competed in 2 con- secutive N. A. I. A. National Basketball Championships as a freshman and sopho- more.
Graduating from Alcorn in 1981, Brooks returned to Tampa with his family and started his first job at King High School as an assistant basketball coach with Coach Henry “Shake” Wash- ington. He was reunited with “Bronco” Smith, who was the Assistant Principal for Athletics at King.
As he turns another chap- ter in his life, Brooks says teaching will always be a part of his life. Having become an ordained minister in 2002, Brooks joined the ranks of 8 million Jehovah Witnesses worldwide. “As a minister, I plan to keep on teaching. That will keep me active,” he said. “I enjoy helping others to learn to be successful and enjoy life.”
Brooks is remarried to Beverly, who is also full- time in the ministry. He is conducting free home Bible studies to enable students to learn and live a happy and successful life according to Bible standards.
FRED HEARNS ... Tampa Historian
For
years, a local historian has collected items in hopes of pre- serving the rich African Ameri- can history of Tampa. Many of the places have long since been demolished, but live on in photo- graphs.
Prior to the
demolition of
the Central Park Public Housing Complex, Tampa native Fred Hearns visited with res- idents and collected historic information to preserve the area. Now, he has undertaken the same project for the North Boulevard Homes and Bethune High-Rise.
Hearns is asking residents with photo- graphs of either of these two locations to sub- mit them for the preservation project. The photograph(s) will be copied and returned to the person making the submission.
Hearns is currently looked for photographs spanning a 50-year period from 1940 to 1990. He prefers outdoor photographs that can be of residents, families, visitors, children, pets, flowers, plants, play areas, family events, or just fun and games.
several
Mrs. Grace Tillman Hearns Clark, is shown with her son, Fred Hearns, on his first birthday. The photograph was taken November 28, 1949, in front of their North Boulevard Homes apart- ment at 923 W. Main Street.
“I have met with the Tampa Housing Au- thority and this research project is approved. I will be collecting the photographs until the end of March 2016,” he said.
Anyone wishing to submit photographs or contact Hearns can contact him at (813) 545- 3183; or email him at fhearns@netzero.net.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3