At one time in Escambia County, Florida, schools were titled with the names of outstanding members of the community, people considered role models. Today, with a need by local governments to not offend, or possibly due to the historical ignorance by those who are choosing titles, new schools receive insignificant generic titles like North End, or West Side. Most of the old honorably named schools of the county like Clubbs, Earnest Ward, and Woodham have faded away, but a few remain. One is named after a most remarkable man, J. M. Tate.
James Tate was born in Girard, Ala. 1837. His fath...