Dan Haskins, one of Texarkana's most stellar and accomplished educators, died Sunday at age 87.
Born in 1929, Haskins' career and influence on local public education span seven decades and commenced shortly after his return home from college in the early 1950s.
A 1948 graduate of Dunbar High School, Haskins began his career in education as a football coach at his alma mater, Dunbar High, in about 1952. From there, Haskins progressed on to higher levels of leadership, which eventually led to becoming assistant principal and later principal of Texas High School in the 1970s and 80s. He was the high school's first black principal.
Haskins later went on to become an assistant superintendent for the Texarkana, Texas, Independent School District, paving the way for other African-American education professionals throughout the Twin-Cities.
Even after his retirement in the 1990s, Haskins continued to lend his valuable experience to education by serving for years on the Liberty-Eylau Independent School District Board of Trustees.
Beyond his public school administrative positions and school board service, Haskins never grew tired of working. He loved working so much he became a business man as well as a member of the Housing Authority of Texarkana, Texas Board of Commissioners.
During a 2013 interview at his business on East Ninth Street, Haskins couldn't even think of retiring and always seemed to be about 30 years younger than his true age would otherwise indicate.
"I can't quit now I'm only 84," he said.