All Saints Receives $5M Gift

TYLER — Tyler’s All Saints Episcopal School has become the beneficiary of the Estate of Jo Clark Ferguson, whose $5 million gift is intended to support the college preparatory school�s mission of academic excellence centered upon the basic tenets of the Christian faith. That’s according to a news release from All Saints. �The Ferguson bequest extends an extraordinary period of gifts to the school,� noted head of school Randal Brown. Within the past 24 months, says Brown, capital gifts totaling $15 million have allowed All Saints to double its endowment to $10 million, fund the school chapel project, and pay off all remaining school debt. �All Saints continues to benefit greatly from the support of generous donors who recognize the importance of providing the Tyler community with a superior college preparatory school,� added Brown.

Mrs. Ferguson, who died Sept. 10, was preceded in death by her husband, Robert L. Ferguson. Both were retired Exxon geologists. Beginning her career with Humble Oil in 1950, Mrs. Ferguson was a pioneer by being one of the first female geologists in the oil and gas industry. Their devoted membership at Christ Episcopal Church in Tyler and their unwavering belief in the power of education led them to be longtime supporters of All Saints, according to the news release.

The Fergusons left clear direction as to the disbursement of their estate to the school, officials say. In support of the Christian faith component of the school�s mission, the Ferguson bequest closed out the campaign to fund a 300-seat school chapel with construction beginning in summer 2015, according to the news release. Additionally, their gift begins an endowment to support the school chaplain, which will be the first endowed position at All Saints.

The gift also creates a $2 million endowment to fund the recruitment and professional development of teachers in the core areas of math, science, and English. �The Ferguson Teacher Endowment now allows All Saints to provide opportunities for our teachers that only the most elite private schools in the nation can offer. Our students will benefit immensely from these opportunities,� noted Brown. Finally, the remainder of the gift establishes a $2 million endowment to assist in supporting the maintenance and upkeep of the 150-acre campus well into the future, according to school officials.