Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) dedicated its newest training vessel, the T.V. Margie, during a special ceremony on March 6.
The state-of-the-art mobile barge simulator will provide hands-on training for students preparing for careers in the maritime industry, reinforcing LSCO’s commitment to workforce education.
“It’s a mobile training unit that will serve students across multiple counties, offering vital maritime training that prepares them for careers on the water,” said Daniel McLemore, LSCO marketing manager. “This floating classroom is technically designed as a mobile barge simulator and will be used for training students in operations, safety and navigation. It’s a U.S. Coast Guard-approved training unit that will be transported all across the state.”
“This means that students will have access to real world training, right in their own communities, providing hands on learning experiences that prepare them for a very in demand career in this maritime industry,” McLemore added.
The T.V. Margie was made possible through a $500,000 Texas Reskilling and Upskilling Through Education (TRUE) Grant awarded in 2023, said McLemore. The U.S. Coast Guard-approved training unit will be used across the state, ensuring that students have access to high-quality maritime education in their own communities.
“The T.V. Margie represents a major step forward in providing real-world, industry-relevant training for our students,” said LSCO President Dr. Thomas Johnson. “This vessel will not only prepare students for in-demand maritime careers but will also carry forward the legacy of my mother, Margie Louella Johnson, whose resilience, hard work and determination continue to inspire us all.”
Johnson said he was surprised when he was told that they’re going to name the vessel after his mother.
“My mother was one of the millions of women during war who were the ‘Rosie the Riveters,’ who went into the plants and refineries,” said Johnson. “They went where they were needed.”
Johnson noted his mother was about 4-foot-11 and weighed about 95 pounds.
“I would give $1,000 if I had a picture of her with a bloworch or the things she did back then, but I don’t,” said Johnson “But what I do have is a great college, a great community who embrace blue collar workers, naming this ship after my mother, this training vessel is beautiful, it means the world to me.”
Margie Louella Johnson (1924–2016) played a crucial role in the war effort, working in industrial production at a time when women were stepping into critical workforce positions. She was a lifelong resident of Indian Springs, Texas, the owner of the Johnson Rock Shop, and was married to her husband, Otis, for 71 years.
She died before her son became president of LCSO.
In keeping with maritime tradition, the event included a blessing of the vessel led by Father Sinclair Oubre, followed by the breaking of a bottle over the bow, officially christening the T.V. Margie.
With this new addition to its maritime training program, LSCO continues to expand its offerings, equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in the growing maritime industry.
For more information about LSCO’s maritime training programs, visit www.lsco.edu.
— Dannie Oliveaux
