Ponce DeLeon Tidwell, Sr. the son of the late Joseph, Sr. and Albert Tidwell, was a 1953 honor graduate of the George Washington Carver School. While attending Carver, he was very active in the band. After completing military service, attended North Carolina A&T, now North Carolina A&T State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering in 1964. He held certifications in Construction Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Systems Building and the Performance Concept from the George Washington University’s School of Engineering in Washington, D.C. Since 1963, he had been practicing architectural engineering in the areas of design and construction management involving some 200 or more facilities ( i.e. theaters, college libraries, dining halls, high schools, office and industrial buildings, military facilities and wastewater treatment facilities).
During the course of his career, he received twenty-nine (29) work related commendations and seventeen (17) civic recognitions. Included among those forty-six (46) recognitions were:
In 1980 - commendation from President James Carter for his many engineering accomplishments while employed with the New York District Army Corps of Engineering;
In March 2, 1991 - recognition from the Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black College and Universities, Mobil Corporation and U.S. Black Engineer Magazine for his leadership and many accomplishments in the minority engineering and technical community.
Recipient of the North Carolina A&T State University National Alumni Association’s 1989 Outstanding Achievement Award as an appreciation of his distinguished leadership given to the Association over the years, contributions of service to his local community, alumni and Alma Mater. The Fall class of 1989 – Architectural Engineering Department recognized him for his services rendered to the department.
In 1963, he became the first Black engineer to work for the Turner Construction Company of New York City. He worked as a Resident Engineer on the Vivian Beaumont and New York State Theaters for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center;
In 1988, he was instrumental in obtaining the necessary grant funds and resources to facilitate the implementation of a graduate program in the Architectural Engineering Department at North Carolina A&T’s School of Engineering.
He and his son designed the Centennial Commemorative Collectors plate for the North Carolina A&T University’s Centennial Celebration. The design is registered with copyrights and presently on exhibit in the Greensboro Historical Museum in the gallery assigned to North Carolina A&T for its Centennial display.
On July 6, 1991, Ponce rendered the Class Reunion speech "Recapturing The George Washington Carver School Era from 1941-1953".
Ponce wrote, “with this thought in mind and through our imaginations, we are revisiting the Carver Site because it not only bears the name of one of our Afro-American’s most notable and distinguished scientist in the late Dr. George Washington Carver and show the symbol of strength in its logo, the Bold Eagle draped in Royal blue and white. Neither are we revisiting this site just because it is an important part of our history, as well as the history of Kannapolis. But we are also revisiting our Alma Mater because it possessed the distinctive futures and unique qualities in its structures, former teachers and school principal, which warrants a continuing memory of its existence”.
Ponce gives a very descriptive account of his experience as a student while at the George Washington Carver School. He said,” As I recall, one structure was an “I” shaped – wood frame facility with seven (7) classrooms. The room in the stem of that “I” shaped building was the largest of the other six and had a stage. This building housed the 6, 7, 8 grades and the industrial arts shop. There was no central heating system. Each room had its own cast iron stove. The other structure was an “L” shaped brick facility with approximately 11 classrooms and gym/auditorium at the south western end facing East “C” street. The facility was constructed in 1937 and housed one through five and the eighth grades for the elementary school grades nine through twelve for the High School. The library was located at the lower level of the North stem of the “L” shaped structure. The playground area, was located adjacent to and west of the gym/auditorium. The school served students from the Tin Cup, New Town, Now Town, Centerview, James Town, Rutledge Town, Texas, Bethel and Fisher Town communities.”
“In 1948 the toe of the “L” shaped structure was extended eastward to provide for approximately 6 additional classrooms and a cafeteria. To accommodate this expansion a major portion of the wood frame structure was demolished and the remaining portion was moved northward with two classrooms, one for art and the other for industrial art.
Several gentlemen Messrs: Nathaniel Lockard, Timothy Johnson, Red Rogers -all from Fisher Town who were bricklayers who were responsible for laying the foundation for the addition. And in 1956, a two story classroom and vocational building was constructed parallel to Lowe Street for which he did not provide details.
The Professional:
Ponce was the first African-American engineer to work for the Austin Company (an international firm) where he was engaged in the construction of the facilities for the early experimental phase of the Apollo Space Program under NASA.
The Advocate:
Ponce was a member of the District Engineer’s Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee where he assisted the EEO officer and District Engineer in developing news-releases concerning job opportunities for minority engineers within the Corps.
The Activist: Ponce arranged for lectures and developed the Region II EPA program agendas in observation of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday and African-American History Month. Both were so well executed that other agencies requested his services.
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