Walter Stephenson Newman
Files
Dublin Core
Title
Walter Stephenson Newman
Subject
Newman, Walter Stephenson (1895-1978)
Description
Portrait of Walter Stephenson Newman as a young man. He is most remembered as having served as the 10th President of Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI), now called Virginia Tech, from 1947 until his retirement 15 years later, in 1962.
Born a mile north of Woodstock, he was a son of WaIter Hickman (1852-1931) and Sallie Bird “Birdie” (Stephenson) (1866-1948) Newman.
After completing high school in Shenandoah County, Walter graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1917. A year book from 1915 noted he played baseball and served as the Freshman class President and Sophomore Class Treasurer. He received his M.S. from VPI, and his Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University.
The 1920 census found him back in Woodstock living on Muhlenberg Street with his parents and two siblings. He was a teacher at the high school level in that record. Just after, Walter married Liz Otey Hoge (1895-1980) of Blacksburg, in June, 1920. She was the daughter of John Hampton and Lola Otey Hoge. The couple had one son, Walter S. Newman, Jr.
In the 1930 and 1940 censuses, Walter and his family lived in Richmond. There, he held a variety of posts related to Vocation Education at the State level. He is credited with being one of the founders of Future Farmers of Virginia and was named VPI’s first vice-president in 1946.
Walter was elected President of VPI in 1947, a post he held until his retirement in June 1962. By then, he was in his late sixties.
He and his wife stayed in the Blacksburg, Virginia, community where Walter was elected president of the National Bank of Blacksburg in 1967, and presented with the Ruffner Medal in 1977.
Born a mile north of Woodstock, he was a son of WaIter Hickman (1852-1931) and Sallie Bird “Birdie” (Stephenson) (1866-1948) Newman.
After completing high school in Shenandoah County, Walter graduated from Hampden-Sydney College in 1917. A year book from 1915 noted he played baseball and served as the Freshman class President and Sophomore Class Treasurer. He received his M.S. from VPI, and his Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University.
The 1920 census found him back in Woodstock living on Muhlenberg Street with his parents and two siblings. He was a teacher at the high school level in that record. Just after, Walter married Liz Otey Hoge (1895-1980) of Blacksburg, in June, 1920. She was the daughter of John Hampton and Lola Otey Hoge. The couple had one son, Walter S. Newman, Jr.
In the 1930 and 1940 censuses, Walter and his family lived in Richmond. There, he held a variety of posts related to Vocation Education at the State level. He is credited with being one of the founders of Future Farmers of Virginia and was named VPI’s first vice-president in 1946.
Walter was elected President of VPI in 1947, a post he held until his retirement in June 1962. By then, he was in his late sixties.
He and his wife stayed in the Blacksburg, Virginia, community where Walter was elected president of the National Bank of Blacksburg in 1967, and presented with the Ruffner Medal in 1977.
Creator
Morrison Studio
Source
Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society
Publisher
Shenandoah County Library
Date
October 1914 per Joseph B. Clower, Jr.
Labelled as "Oct 1914" on box of plates.
Contributor
Identified by Joseph B. Clower, Jr., who remembered Mr. Newman as having been a public figure in Shenandoah County.
Additional biographical information was compiled from public records.
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED
Identifier
000832
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Glass Negatives
Collection
Citation
Morrison Studio, “Walter Stephenson Newman,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed May 2, 2024, http://archives.countylib.org/items/show/23085.
Comments