The Hebron Cross

About the AuthorDr. Mary J. Ferguson, is a Marlboro County (Hebron), South Carolina native and one of fifteen siblings. She is also a 42 year teacher and administrator veteran of public, private and higher education in various states and countries due to decades of military affiliation. She enjoys the study of integrated cultural studies. Her initial training prepared her for self-contained classroom teaching. Her educational journey includes: Winston Salem State University B.S. (’78), St. Mary College, (KS) M.Ed. (’96), Fayetteville State University, (NC) M.S.A. (’05) and Ed. D. (’09). Her quantitative dissertation can be found on proquest entitled: A Comparative Analysis of Rural and Urban Students in Selected North Carolina Schools (2009). Her book publications include: Just Thinking; A Bio-Compilation of Poetry 2010; 2014); Twenty-First Century College Commentaries of Traditional and Nontraditional College Students (2013); STEM and Cyber Culture (2017). Her current primary academic interest includes: research on humanities and STEM for elementary and secondary students, community and parent involvement, policy improvement for public schools. She is the owner of a non-profit founded in 2014 (Ferguson Educational and Consultant Services).  At the age of twelve, she became a believer in Jesus Christ and baptized in Aberdeen, NC, by her father, the late Reverend T. J. Johnson.ABOUT THE FOREWORDCorrie J. Davis-Jackson, M.S.A., (Steve), is the sister to Mary and one of fifteen siblings in which seven have preceded them (four at birth). She too is a Marlboro County (Hebron), South Carolina native. Her degreed educational experience includes: Longwood University, VA M.S.A. (’90); St. Paul’s College, VA B.A. (’71) and Clinton Junior College, SC AAD (’66). She is member of several professional organizations, teacher and administrator retiree of the Prince Edward County Public School System, VA (37 years) and presently owns the Davis Driving School founded by her and her late husband (Rev. Albert Davis, M.S.A.), also a teacher and principal administrator retiree of Prince Edward County Schools (VA). Mrs. Davis-Jackson is extremely active in her church (First Baptist) and Farmville, VA community. At the age of twelve, she became a believer in Jesus Christ and baptized by the family’s minister (the late Rev. G.W. Ware), then pastor of St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church in Hebron, South Carolina.  3