Well-known Natchez-Adams County educators Claude Porter and E. T. James will be honored at the National Football Founation and Hall of Fame Miss-Lou Chapter tonight at the Natchez Eola Raddison.

Long-time Democrat sports columnist Glenvall Estes will also be recognized at the banquet for his many yearsof service to local athletics.

Porter will receive the Distinguished American Award, while E.T. James will be honored with the Contributions to Amateur Athletics Award.

&uot;I’m very happy with this honor because it is very special for me,&uot; Porter said. &uot;I’ve had a lot of people influence me — mostly coaches — growing up.&uot;

Porter began teaching in 1952 at Gloster High where he coached football, boys and girls basketball and baseball.

After a brief stay in Gloster, Porter returned to his hometown of Natchez where he spent the next 36 years as a teach, coach and administrator.

Until his retirement in 1989, Porter served as a consultant to the Natchez-Adams County Board of Education. From 1976-87, he served as superintendent of education for the Natchez school system.

Prior to his professional career, Porter was a standout athlete at Natchez High, Copiah-Lincoln Junior College and Delta State. He lettered in football, basketball and baseball at Co-Lin and was recently named to the school’s Hall of Fame.

Porter lettered in football at Delta State.

James graduated from Mount Rose High in Mount Rose in 1929. His first teaching job after attending Mississippi College was at Bay Springs, where he coached foortball and was the asssistant principal.

&uot;A.I. Rexinger was coach at Seminary, Miss., and asked that my Bay Springs boys play his,&uot; James said. &uot;We only had make-shift uniforms, so I made cleats for my backfield and hammered them on to their work shoes.

&uot;We beat Rexinger real good. I used barbers for referees and Rex said his team was clipped on every play.&uot;

From Bay Springs, James went to Enochs Junior High in Jackson and left there in 1939 to become junior high principal in Natchez.

James started junior high football in Natchez. He retired after 44 years in the public school system, serving as assistant superintendent to Gilmer McLaurin the last 20 years.