High-resolution, full color images available online
Search, browse, read, and print yearbook pages
View college, high school, and military yearbooks
Browse our digital annual library spanning centuries
Support the schools in our program by subscribing
Privacy, as we do not track users or sell information
Page 8 text:
“
u )aru)icJ? junior J fiof) Becomes j fomer lj. Jerjuson yilcjf i Sc ioof (Note from the staff of THE MARINER: When the junior high school idea was abandoned in favor of the five-year plan, following consolidation with Newport News, the name War- wick Junior High was changed to Homer L. Ferguson, in honor of a former president of the Newport News shipyard. Following is a brief biography prepared by Miss Cerinda W. Evans, Librarian Emeritus of the Mariners Museum, and forwarded to the school by Mr. Richard Newman for insertion in our yearbook. Mr. Newman was named January 9, 1962, by city council to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Richard Yates whose death on November 28, 1961, left a vacancy on the school board. Miss Evans’ biography of Mr. Ferguson is reprinted as it was received by the school from Mr. Newman.) Homer Lenoir Ferguson 1873 - 1953 Homer Lenoir Ferguson was born March 6, 1873, the son of William Burder and Laura Reeves Ferguson, at the old home in Haywood County, North Carolina. When he was a year old, the family moved to Wayne sville in the same county. He entered the U. S. Naval Academy on May 21, 1888, at the age of fifteen, and was graduated with honors in June, 1892. In the fall of that year, he entered the School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in the University of Glasgow from which he was graduated in 1895 with a B. S. degree. He was appointed as Assistant Naval Constructor, and on October 10, 1901, joined the staff of Admiral A. W. Stahl at the Newsport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. In 1903, he was given charge of the Bureau of Construction and Repair at Washington, D. C. In 1905, he resigned from the Navy, and joined the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company as Superintendent of Hull Construction. He was made General Manager of the Yard in 1912, Vice-president and General Manager in 1914, and President and General Manager in 1915. He accepted the Presidency on condition that he retain his residence in Newport News, he could keep in much better touch with the Yard. The earlier presidents had their offices in New York City and resided there. In 1905, Mr. Ferguson had built a comfortable brick house on Huntington Avenue at 57th Street for his family. He desired it to be known that he was permanently established. He was married on September 23, 1895, to Miss Eliza Anderson Skinner of Kentucky. Six children had been born to them: Homer Lenoir, Junior, Charles Anderson, William McLeod, Walter Post, Isabel Laura, and Baby Elise. Mr. Ferguson ' s period as chief executive extended to 1947, over three decades and through the two World Wars. Under the depression of the ten-year Naval Holiday after World War I, the shipyard entered other fields of activity in order to keep the skilled force together among which were the building of hydraulic turbines, repairing locomotives, building box cars, and the manufacture of paints for sale.
”
Page 9 text:
“
Homer Lenoir Ferguson Shipbuilding was never overlooked, however, and an early contract was made for the reconditioning of the captured war prize, the passenger German liner VATERLAND which became the American LEVIATHAN. Bids were offered on every other available vessel with the surprising result of launching nine vessels in one day, March 20, 1926. In 1929, Mr. Ferguson interested Archer Milton Huntington, then principal owner of the shipyard, in establishing a marine museum near the shipyard founded by his father, Collis Potter Huntington. Mr. Huntington agreed to finance such an institution if Mr. Ferguson would undertake the job. The Mariners ' Museum came into being in 1930 and Mr. Ferguson served as its president until his death in 1953. He was a member of the National Foreign Trade Council, the President ' s Commission on unemployment, the National Industrial Conference Board, and served as president of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States in 1919-1920. He was a member of the Academy of Political Science, the Propeller Club of the U. S., the Society of Naval Architects and served as president of the Marine Engineers. He was president also of the National Council of American Shipbuilders, and a trustee of the Carnegie Institute of Washington. He was a director of the Chesapeake Ohio Railway Company, the Chesapeake Potomac Telephone Company of Virginia, and the Engineers Public Service Corporation of New York. He was president of the First National Bank of Newport News, director in the State -Planters Bank of Richmond, a director of the Yorktown Sesquicentennial As- sociation, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa honorary fraternity. 5
Are you trying to find old school friends, old classmates, fellow servicemen or shipmates? Do you want to see past girlfriends or boyfriends? Relive homecoming, prom, graduation, and other moments on campus captured in yearbook pictures. Revisit your fraternity or sorority and see familiar places. See members of old school clubs and relive old times. Start your search today!
Looking for old family members and relatives? Do you want to find pictures of parents or grandparents when they were in school? Want to find out what hairstyle was popular in the 1920s? E-Yearbook.com has a wealth of genealogy information spanning over a century for many schools with full text search. Use our online Genealogy Resource to uncover history quickly!
Are you planning a reunion and need assistance? E-Yearbook.com can help you with scanning and providing access to yearbook images for promotional materials and activities. We can provide you with an electronic version of your yearbook that can assist you with reunion planning. E-Yearbook.com will also publish the yearbook images online for people to share and enjoy.
