At the age of twelve, James F. Brown and his two sisters and three brothers were placed in the Scotland Soldiers and Sailors Orphanage because of a tragic WWI incident to his father and the untimely death of his mother.

      James F. Brown was a student and athlete at Scotland Soldiers and Sailors Home in Scotland P.A., near Chambersburg, P.A.. At Scotland, he participated in band, chorus, track, football and basketball.  At Scotland, Jim became a star athlete in Football and Track, setting records in both sports. Jim was inducted in toScotland’s athletic hall of fame in 1990.

        After graduating from Scotland in 1942 he joined the Army and served in WWII from 1943 to 1946. Jim was a High Speed Radio Operator and was stationed over seas in the Philippines and New Guinea.

       After returning to the states he enrolled in Slippery Rock State Teachers College in Pennsylvania where he played football and ran track. Jim set several records while participating in track. After graduating from Slippery Rock with his B.S., he attended The University Pittsburg were he received his Masters in Education.

       Jim started his teaching career at Ronovo High School in Pennsylvania in 1950. He moved to Southwest Ohio in 1952 were he obtained a teaching position at Blanchester High School. Jim taught at Blanchester for one year and then accepted a physical education teaching position and coaching positions at Goshen in 1953, where he taught at the High School and coached until 1970. During his first couple of years at Goshen Jim coached basketball, baseball and volleyball. Coach Brown soon gave up basketball and baseball to pursue his real passions of football and track. In 1954, Jim became the Head Track Coach. In his first year, with the help of the school and the community, he laid out and built the first cinder track at Goshen. During his 16 years as the head coach, the teams finished 1^st 10 times and runners-up 3 times at the Conference meet.

      In 1957 Goshen High School started their football program under the leadership of Coach Brown. He helped in the planning and the building of the first football field and stadium. As the Head Coach, the football teams won 5 conference titles and were runners-up twice. The 1964 team is the only football team to have a perfect 10 - 0 record. He was conference coach of the year 3 times.

        Jim also coached boys Volleyball from 1953 to 1963. Those teams won 11 consecutive conference titles.

       Coach Brown started an intramural program and track and field days at the elementary in the late 50’s. Jim thought these programs would give the students at Goshen the opportunity at a younger age to obtain a desire to be involved in sports. Jim also started the Varsity "G" club at the High School.

        Jim and his wife Pauline (Polly), who he met while she was teaching at Goshen Elementary School, left Goshen with their two sons in 1970. They moved to New Lebanon, Ohio where Jim taught and coached at Dixie High School and Polly taught at New Lebanon Elementary. Jim retired from the New Lebanon School system in 1986 after 35 yrs and Polly in 1987 after 32 yrs. Their sons are both Physical Education teachers and they both coach. The eldest James (Jamie) taught in Vandalia, Ohio and coached football for 30 years. The youngest Robin (Rob) teaches at Dixie Middle School and has coached track for 23 years.

       Before Coach Brown passed away in 1990 he was able take part in and enjoy two special events. The first was in 1987, when Goshen Schools named their football stadium "Jim Brown Stadium". They second event was in early 1990 when New Lebanon Schools, named their athletic field, James F. (Chief) Brown Athletic field.

     A former student once said, "Everybody respected him. He was fair to everybody. What was good for one was good for all. He really never played favorites."  A special dedication in the 1969  yearbook said of Jim, " In his years at Goshen, he never let a student or another teacher down."

   It is with great pride and joy to induct  Coach James Brown into the Goshen High School Alumni Hall of Fame.  Thank you for laying down many of the foundation stones to building the great school we have today.