Philly Names Public School To Honor Grover Washington Jr

Jet, Feb 26, 2001

The city of Philadelphia recently named its newest public school after the late jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr.

Washington, one of the first musicians to burst onto the jazz-funk scene, willingly gave his time to teach, mentor and encourage children about music.

The Grover Washington Jr. Middle School breaks with tradition by having classes conducted there year-round. The unorthodox class schedule is an attempt to fight overcrowding and students' tendency to forget what they learned over summer vacation.

Washington lived in Philadelphia from 1967 until his death in 1999. He died of a heart attack after he taped a performance for the "CBS Early Show." He was 56 years old.