Community Colleges History

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The concept for community colleges began in the latter part of the nineteenth century with a period of time that is coined as the “Great Scare” a period of economic depression in Europe and North America. Rev. J.M. Carroll then president of Baylor assembled a meeting of the Baptist colleges in Texas and Louisiana to address the issues of lack of finances to support the Baptist institutions in both states. Carroll introduced the idea that the smaller colleges reduce their curriculums to just two years and Baylor University would provide both the third and fourth years. This reduction required fewer resources in which they would need to operate drastically reducing the cost.

William Rainey Harper then president of the University of Chicago …show more content…

In the early years, community colleges generally had less than 200 students focusing on liberal arts education. This began to change as community colleges would begin to move toward more vocational curriculums in the late nineteenth century to serve the needs of the communities especially in the area of teacher training a move that would increase the access and enrollment of women in these …show more content…

At the conclusion of WWII, the US converted from a military economical industry to one based on consumer goods created more skilled jobs. This transition combined with the influx of veterans due to the GI Bill pushed a movement for more options in higher education. In 1948 President Truman formed a commission to create a network of community colleges to serve the needs of the community. The Carnegie commission of 1970 called for a community college to be within driving distance of every adult. Combined with these commissions the Higher Education Act of 1964 and the amendments to the act helped community colleges to grow to meet the demands of WWII

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