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Page 7 text:
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S|tstury EVELYN GRIFFITH For many years, civic-minded people of Bismarck hoped for the establishment of a junior college. Many plans were proposed, but none of these suggestions ever developed into a reality. In 1935, hope was renewed when it was suggested that the Indian school could be made available for a junior college. This plan was not carried out, however, and the issue of establishing an institution of higher education was abandoned. Nevertheless, parents and students remembered their dreams and ambitions for a college and they were quick to support the ideas and plans during the years from 1935 to 1939. The undercurrent of their enthusiastic co-operation was brought to a climax in April, 1939. At this time, the Bismarck As- sociation of Commerce started a campaign to begin a college here. The Board of Education joined in the drive for a junior college and in June, 1939, a second election for the establishment of a local junior college was held; this time it was greatly successful. Enthusiasm was rampant in Bismarck following the election. Within a short while, fifty-two students had enrolled for the freshman courses offered. The Board of Education gave the deanship to Walter J. Swensen, Ph. D., who had completed his study for his doctor’s degree at the University of North Dakota. Since the junior college was to be organized in con- junction with the high school, laboratory equipment and educational facilities were established in the new Bismarck high school which was completed in 1935. Eight instructors were employed for the first year of college work. In addition to this large enrollment, the freshman nurses of Bismarck Hospital elected courses in biology, psychology, chemistry, sociology, and physical education. The future of the new Bismarck junior college looked very promising. On September 4. 1939, the first classes were held on the third floor of the high school; the college administrators established their office on the main floor of the high school. By this time, the enrollment had increased from fifty-two to seventy-three students: forty-nine men and twenty-four women. In addition to these, thirty-three nurses also entered for college work. However, before these cogs of a new educational facility could begin to run so smoothly, definite legis- lation had to be enacted. The authorization of a junior college in Bismarck was accomplished by the North Dakota legislature in 1931. The laws covering North Dakota junior colleges stated that a junior college could be initiated in cities having a population of 10,000 or more people, and if the college work were of a two-year duration only, as well as it being in conjunction with a four-year high school. Toward the latter portion of April. 1939, the Board of Education of Bismarck convened to discuss the advisibility of establishing a Bismarck junior college. An investigating committee submitted a report to the Association of Commerce, who assisted the Board of Education in forming a nucleus for a new col- lege. Although the proposal of a junior college was voted down in Bismarck on September 8. 1932, by a small marginal vote, only a two-thirds vote of the citizens was necessary for the establishment of a col- lege, so in June, 1939, petitions were circulated and an election was held on June 6, whereby the votes were in an affirmative majority for a junior college. In the report submitted by the Association of Commerce, several arguments in favor of beginning a college locally were as follows: (1) no additional taxes would be levied on local residents; (2) further education would be made possible for local youth who although eligible to enter college, were financial- ly unable to attend; (3) parental guidance would be possible during a student’s formative college years which would enable the student to succeed much better during later college life; (4) junior colleges have been installed in other cities of the Northwest and have all proved successful in those cities from popu- lations varying from 1,250 to 22.000; (5) all necessary equipment for a junior college was purchased already for the new Bismarck high school and thus, laboratory supplies and other facilities would not need to be bought; (6) the tuition for the junior college would be only $150 a year, which is far below the cost of any state-owned or privately-owned college in North Dakota which a local student might attend. The Bismarck Junior College enters its third year next fall; there is not a member of the faculty or the student body who does not believe that the various obstacles which always confront a new in- stitution have not been hurdled and that B.J.C. is now on its way to accomplish the purposes for which it was founded. PAGE FOUR
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