[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 38 (Thursday, March 30, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E463-E464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF ROOSEVELT EARLY

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                             HON. MIKE ROSS

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 30, 2006

  Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Roosevelt 
Early, a veteran high school educator from Crossett, AR, who died at 
the age of 72 on February 26, 2006. I wish to recognize his lifetime of 
dedication to public education and the city of Crossett.
  A native of West Helena, AR, Mr. Early earned a bachelor's degree at 
Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical, and Normal College, now the 
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, UAPB, where he played football 
and sang in the choir. Mr. Early also attended the University of 
Central Arkansas where he received a master's degree.
  Moving to Crossett in 1958, Mr. Early spent nearly a half century as 
a public school educator at T.W. Daniel and Crossett School District. 
He began as a shop teacher at T.W. Daniel High School in 1958 and rose 
to the post of assistant principal of T.W. Daniel Middle School in 
1973, and principal 2 short years later of T.W. Daniel High School. 
Following his tenure at T.W. Daniel, Mr. Early served as principal at 
Norman Junior High School beginning in 1980 and Crossett High School in 
1985.
  Mr. Early was active throughout the Ashley County community. He 
served as director of the E.C. Crossett Community Center, president of 
the UAPB Ashley County Alumni Association, and was a member of the 
Ashley County Medical Center Board of Directors, Ashley County Martin 
Luther King Planning Commission, Phi Delta Kappa Educational Society, 
Georgia-Pacific Planning Commission, the Arkansas Association of 
Educational Administrators, the Arkansas Association of Secondary 
Principals, Crossett Classroom Teachers Association, Arkansas Education 
Association and the National Education Association.
  As a man of faith, Mr. Early served as chairman of the Deacon Board 
at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and chairman of the Trustee 
Board. The Roosevelt Early Memorial Scholarship was started shortly 
after his death to commemorate and honor the impact he made as an 
educator at Crossett High School.
  As the son of public school educators, I believe there are few jobs 
more noble than that of educating our Nation's children. Mr. Early 
spent a lifetime dedicated to this end. I extend my deepest condolences 
to his wife of 48 years, Lendora; his daughters, Cassandra and 
Patricia; his brother, David; his sisters, Thelma, lola, and Alma, and 
his grandchildren, Kenyellshia and Chase. Though Mr. Early may no 
longer be with us, his spirit and legacy will live on for generations 
to come.

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