Opening day for the Chattanooga Lookouts on April 17, 1946, drew more than 11,000 fans to Engel Stadium, according to newspaper reports. Among them was one of Chattanooga’s post-war power couples.
Using facial recognition software, Chattanooga history buff Sam Hall was able to determine that the woman shown prominently in the accompanying photo is Bess T. Shepherd, who died in 1981 but whose name lives on through one of Hamilton County’s schools, Bess T. Shepherd Elementary School.
Sitting beside her left shoulder in the photo is Will Shepherd, Bess’ husband and a well-known Chattanooga journalist and publisher. Will Shepherd, who died at age 65 in 1947, began his journalism career as a cub reporter for the Chattanooga Times in 1910 and later purchased the Hamilton County Herald newspaper with his wife in 1919, according to news reports.
Hall, curator of the website ChattanoogaHistory.com, said in an email that he uses facial-recognition technology to identify people in old photos. “I look for named persons in newspapers and other sources and then cross-reference to potential matches in other photos,” Hall said. “Will Shepherd was a well-known public figure and matched in many photos.”
Bess T. Shepherd Elementary, at 7126 Tyner Road, is named for the former Hamilton County school board member who was also a beloved elementary school teacher in the Tyner community.