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HISTORY OF KANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGES
The history of the community colleges in Kansas dates back to 1917
when the Kansas Legislature enacted legislation authorizing any city of
the first or second class to "provide for an extension of the high
school course of study by establishing for school graduates a two-year
course in advance of the course prescribed for accredited high schools
by the State Board of Education." In 1919, four cities elected to take
advantage of this legislation and public junior colleges were
established at Fort Scott, Garden City, Holton and Marysville. Holton
and Marysville gave up after a short period, thus having the distinction
of the only Kansas public two-year colleges that have perished.
The junior colleges in Garden City and Fort Scott were joined by
Arkansas City in 1922; Coffeyville, Iola, Kansas City and Parsons in
1923; Independence in 1925; El Dorado in 1927; Hutchinson in 1928; Dodge
City in 1935; Chanute in 1936; and Pratt in 1938. Also in 1938,
Highland, established in 1858 as a private college and the oldest
institution of higher education in Kansas, reorganized as a public
junior college under state laws.
The 1960's brought about the establishment of five
more colleges as a part of the comprehensive community college movement
that was sweeping the country. Colby was established in 1964; Barton
County and Cloud County in 1965; and, Johnson County and Seward County
in 1967. The Kansas Association of Public Junior Colleges, the historical
forerunner of the Kansas Association of Community College Trustees, was
established in 1922 by C. I. Vinsonhaler, Superintendent of the Garden
City Schools, and M. M. Rose, Superintendent at Fort Scott. According
to Mr. Vinsonhaler, Mr. Rose decided that the junior colleges (there
were only two at the time) should have a state association. So they
organized one! As Vinsonhaler put it: "I elected Mr. Rose president
and he elected me secretary-treasurer. It was practically unanimous and
very harmonious. |
