Growth of the Two-Year College, the Origins of the Communitycollege Are Traced
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DOCUMENT RESUME r. ED 255 267 JC 850 136 AUTHOR Vaughan, George B. TITLE The Community College in America: A Short History. Revised. INSTITUTION American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, Washington, D.C: REPORT NO ISBN-0-87111-141-4 PUB DATE 85 NOTE 33p.; gevised and updated edition of ED 220 140. AVAILABLE FROM American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20036 ($6.00; $5.00 bulk rate). PUB TYPE Historical Materials (060)-- Viewpoints (120) EDRS PRICE MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS College Programs; *College Role; *Community Colleges; *Educational History; Educational Legislation; Educational Philosophy; Professional Associations; State Colleges; *Two, Year Colleges; Two Year College Students ABSTRACT A historical overview is provided of the development of community and junior colleges in the United States. Following introductory comments on the influences affecting thecharacter and growth of the two-year college, the origins of the communitycollege are traced. Emphasis is placed on the Morrill Act of 1862, views of 19th and early 20th Century educational leaders, the contributionsof .William Rainey Harper, California legislation,the founding of. the American Association of Junior Colleges, and early writingson the junior college. Next, historical events influencingthe establishment of the community college missionare highlighted, including the 1944 GI Bill of Rights, the 1947 President's Commissionon Higher Education for American Democracy, and thepostwar leadership of Jesse P: Bogue. Next, the boom years of the community collegesare discussed in terms of the rise of statewide systems andstate support in the 1960's and 1970's; the advent of theopen door philosophy; student aid legislation; changes in leadership and mission;and new services and clientele. The final chapter analyzesthe current status of the'community college, focusingon changing patterns of governance, the role of the Association of Community College Trustees, the Presidents Academy, political influences, the evolving mission,lenrollment trends, faculty characteristics, thedevelopment of a body of literature on community colleges, the role ofthe ERIC Clearinghouse for Junior Colleges, the influence ofDale Parnell on the two-year college field, and futureconcerns. (LAL) **********************************************************************& Reproductions supplied by EDRSare the best that can be made .* from the original document. *********************************************************************** THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN AMERICA A SHORT HISTORY ;:f9 tt Or' f. k"61,iy", r.fet. 7, A"1C' pP4k. 41: 3ti., AACJC PUBL I CAT IONS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION -.roadieEDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION MATERIALIN MICROFICHE ONLY CENTER IERICI HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Th* document has been reproduced as J.. F. Gollattsc.heck received (torn the person or organization onginatingtt. X Minor changes have been mtde to improve reproduction quality. Points of view Or Opir9011S stated in this docti- iiTO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOUP1GFS mant do not necessarily represent official NM INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC). 2 pacifier or policy. itD George B. Vaughan George B. Vaughan is president of Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville, Virginia. He also teaches courses on the community college at the University of Virginia. He is a former member of the AACJC Board of Directors and serves as chairman of the Presidents Academy (1985-1986). Dr. Vaughan earlier served as president of Mountain Empire Community College in Virginia and as dean of instruction at Virginia Highlands Community College. He received his Ph.D. degree from Florida State Urliversity and has written extensively about the community college. Among his latest publications is Issues for Community College Leaders in a Nett Era, George B. Vaughan and Associates (Jossey-Bass, 1983). On the thint cor'e'r, Neu, World Center campus. Multm-Oade Communttu Collexe on the hal.ozvr_ ortNina/ blithttns, lol.et liouor ColleNe THECOMMUNITYCOLLEGE INAMERICA A SHORT HISTORY By George B. Vaughan American Association of Community and Junior Colleges National Center for Higher Edi tcation Suite 410 One Dupont Circle Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 293-7050 Copyright 1982 Printed in U.S.A. Second printing 1983 Third printing, revised 1985 0S7117 141-4 CONTENTS Preface By James F. Gollattscheck Introduction By George B. Vaughan 1 The Community College in America: Its Origirs The Community College in America: Establishing Its Mission 7 The Communqy College in America: The Boom Years 10 The Community College in America: The Scene Today 17 r. A Final Word 25 o 1 ,PREFACE TheIntroduction'to the first paintingof The Community College in America: A Pocket Historystated .that a history ofcommunity, technical, and junior collegeshad been needed for many years.This book has helped meet thatneed. More than 3,000 copies havebeen distributed since it was firstprinted in 1982, and it hasquickly become one of themost popular and useful books everpublished by the American Associationof Community and JuniorColleges (AACJC). George Vaughan is aneducator of many talents. Aprolific researcher and writer, he also serves as acommunitycollege presi- dent and is rapidly becomingkno.wn as the "resident historian" of the AACJC. He has donemuch to investigate and explainthe role played in the developmentof community.colleges byPresident 14, Truman and the President'sCommission on Higher Education, popularly known as the TrumanCommission. Dr. Vaughan is quick to point outthat this hook should not be considered a complete or definitivehistory of community colleges. Its purpose is to fill the needfor a brief yet-comprehensive overview of the sequfnce of events andrelationships that have brought com- munity, technical, and juniorcolleges, to their current stateof development. The American Associationof Community and JuniorColleges is-pleased t o respond to the many requestsfor an additional print- ing of this important hook.The third edition has beenrevised and updated by the author and retitledThe Community College inAmerica: A Short History. It is the mostcurrent history of thecommunity college movement in America. Itwillipe useful to students ofthe community college's uniquecontribution to American highereduca- tion; to community, technical,and junior college professionalswho wish to know more of thehistory of their types of colleges;and to persons in generalinterested in helping themselves orothers understand the American community,technical, and junior college. qe. fames F. Gollattscheck Vice President for Communications Services and Editor-in-Chief American Association ofCommunity and Junior Colleges rr. INTRODUCTION The public community college in Americatoday is a coat of many colors. Borrowing heavily fromthe public high school, the private junior college, and thefour-year college and.university, the community college not only possesses characteristics ePund in all of these but at the same timemaintains an identity of its own. ,.. Influenced by diverse forces such asWorld War il and industry's demand for trained technicians, the communitycollege embodies Thomas Jefferson's belief that an educationshould be practical as well as liberal. Like Jefferson, the communitycollege philosophy calls for education to serve the good of both theindividual and soci- ety. Egalitarianism is ahallmark of the community college philoso- phy. Indeed, the community college's opendoor has often provided the only access to higher educationfor millions of Americans. The community college witlfits broad socialimplications did not grow in a vacuum and one canpoint to certain benchmarks in its development. Before 1930 the "juniorcollege" function was mainly academic, and the primary purpose of publicand private two-year colleges was generally seen as providing the first two yearsof the baccalaureate degree. By the 1930s occupational-technicaleducation had also become a permanent and major componentof the com- munity college curriculum. Another major change hds occurred more recently.While com- munity services and continuing educationhave always been a part of the community college philosophy, it was notuntil the 1970s that the concept of lifelong learning for adultsgained importance in many community colleges. Today,lifelong learning in its many forms occupies a place of prominence besidethe transfer and occupational-technical functions: Before outlining the significant events that haveinfluenced the development of the public community college inAmerica, an ex- planation of purpose is in order. First, I do not attemptto provide an in-depth analysisof any of the historical events listed here,but rather a road map for those who wish tohave a general under- standing of the flow of events that were important intile develop- ment of the community college. Second, no attempt is made to deal withsuch broad concepts and achievements as the rise of affluence inAmerican society, the broad acceptance and use of the automobile(the community col- lege's lifeblood as well as its potential Achilles'heel), the civil rightS movement and its demand for equal accessfor everyone, and t}-e 4" 'I I 111 rf Community College. in America: A Short History .P evolution of American detriocriatic values. thesemovements, along with many others, have contributedgreatl to the development of the community college; bvita thorm, eatment of their in- fluence is