By Angeline Huang Evans

The community college model first appeared in California in the early 1900s to fill a void in post-secondary education. One hundred years later and 112 colleges strong, they continue to make great strides as the largest education and workforce preparation system in the nation.

The early 20th century was an era of technological and cultural advancement and booming cities. California, a mere 50 years into statehood, had reached a population of nearly 1.5 million by 1900. San Francisco, the largest city in the state with over 410,000 residents at the time, had not one but many college options, including the state’s first public higher education institution, the University of California (opened in 1868), Stanford University (1891), and the University of San Francisco (1855). Not surprisingly, the urban population far outpaced the rural population in educational attainment at all levels.

Enter the Upward Extension Law of 1907. This legislative act gave high school districts the go-ahead to add an additional two years of instruction, which would be recognized by the universities as lower division coursework. The goal was to prepare more students for upper division work while retaining them on local campuses. The universities supported the act, since they already thought of the first few years of instruction as preparatory. Thus the name “junior college,” which was swapped out for the preferred “community college” in the ‘50s and ‘60s, although some colleges retain the original as part of their institutional names.

While California’s junior colleges were not the first—Joliet Junior College in Illinois holds that distinction—they were not far behind. While Joliet Junior College was established through a direct partnership between Joliet Township High School and the University of Chicago, a one-off collaboration, California’s legislation-first model enabled junior colleges to spring up in all areas, and the state quickly took, and some might argue held, the lead in the proliferation and maturation of community colleges across the nation. 

Early Adoption
Although the exact order in which the first two California Community Colleges were founded is often debated, documentation points to Fresno as the first to adopt the extension model in 1909, but it was quickly joined by Santa Barbara. By 1919, California had 21 junior colleges serving an estimated 1,800 students.

From their inception, the goal of the community colleges was to serve those for whom four-year university was not feasible or necessary, for whatever reason. As former Stanford University president Ray Lyman Wilbur put it into his introductory letter to William Proctor’s 1927 book, The Junior College:

“[Junior college] provides for those who have neither the capacity to profit by university instruction nor the necessary financial backing the chance to round out their education by two years of work of college grade, given usually in smaller classes and with more personal supervision than is possible in the larger colleges and universities of the country.”

This mantra still rings true for community colleges today. California’s community colleges now educate nearly 2.9 million students each year, preparing them for transfer to four-year universities, training them in workforce-relevant skills, and providing continuing education opportunities. Classes remain small and instructors dedicated. Community colleges have also grown to include a wide range of support services for both students and the community, enlarging their role beyond the original scope.

While the California Community Colleges as a whole are celebrating this landmark point in their history, the centennial celebrations of the state’s two first community colleges have special meaning. Fresno City College and Santa Barbara City College, as they are now known, have spent the better part of the last year honoring their rich histories as pioneers in higher education.

Higher Education Comes to the Central Valley
The city of Fresno sits in the heart of the fertile Central Valley surrounded by agricultural gold. Incorporated in 1885, the city now boasts nearly half a million inhabitants; the surrounding county brings the regional count to over 940,000. Agriculture remains one of the city’s largest industries by employment. The largest industry? Education. But that wasn’t always the case.

The story of Fresno City College begins with Charles L. McLane, the superintendent of Fresno Schools at the turn of the century. By that time, Fresno was already widely recognized as the hub of the San Joaquin Valley, the state’s fourth largest population center. McLane first set out to start a normal school, or a college for training teachers, something many universities at the time did not do. When that plan fell through, McLane turned to the Upward Extension Law. He set out to create a new junior college that would be an extension of Fresno High School.

It was not difficult for residents and education leaders to agree that Fresno needed educational opportunities beyond the high school. The population had doubled between 1900 and 1910, and the nearest universities were 200 miles away, requiring students to move far away from their families and increasing the financial burden of getting a higher education. With the support of the community, McLane worked with the leaders of the University of California and Stanford University to plan classes and hire instructors; the universities agreed to accept and recognize coursework done at Fresno Junior College as fulfilling lower division requirements.

Fresno Junior College opened its doors on September 12, 1910, with 20 students and eight instructors, including five from the high school. Students would study mathematics, English, Latin, modern languages, history, economics, and technical work to earn their “junior certificate” and transfer to the University of California or Stanford. The college also offered vocational training, such as agriculture, industry, commerce, applied civics, and domestic science—topics that were not adequately addressed by high schools or universities at the time. Within three years, enrollment at the junior college had doubled.

Junior college expenses were the responsibility of Fresno High School until 1921, when legislation was passed to provide state funding at the high school rate. Students who graduated from Fresno High School were allowed to attend the junior college for free, while others were charged a tuition of $4 per month, the same rate that non-district residents paid to attend Fresno High School.

In its original role as an extension to the high school, Fresno Junior College was located at Fresno High School until 1921, when it began sharing the Fresno Normal School (now California State University, Fresno) campus; the junior college relocated back to the high school site from 1948 to 1959, when it moved for good to its current campus on University Avenue and the Board of Education officially changed the institution’s name to Fresno City College.

Today, Fresno City College’s 1,500 full- and part-time faculty members serve over 25,000 students each semester. Notable alumni include former State Center Community College District Chancellor Tom Crow, poet Gary Soto, NFL great Tom Flores, and Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver.

A New College on the Coast
The passing of the Upward Extension Law in 1907 also sparked interest in the coastal community of Santa Barbara, popular for its beauty and prime location between the bustling cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Local education leaders had tried to create higher education programs in the area, but it wasn’t until 1909 when the Santa Barbara School District took the first steps to establishing a junior college division that the dream was on its way to becoming a reality. While no opening date is found on record, notes from a June 1909 school district meeting reference discussions on leasing facilities and purchasing equipment for a two-year program.

In 1926, Santa Barbara Junior College was absorbed into the Santa Barbara State Teacher’s College, predecessor of what is now the University of California, Santa Barbara. The return of troops after World War II and the GI Bill were critical catalysts in the re-establishment of the junior college in 1946. The community college was as crucial then in supporting returning students as it is today.

The reopened Santa Barbara Junior College grew quickly, moving from its Alhecama Center space to the Riviera Campus and finally to Mesa Campus in 1959, where the college is currently located. That same year the college’s official name was changed to Santa Barbara City College and it welcomed its first president, Joseph Cosand. Formerly the home of UC Santa Barbara (before UCSB moved to its current location in Goleta), the Mesa Campus needed a number of renovations, which SBCC began immediately upon acquiring the property.

Another major milestone was realized in 1965, when the college finally broke from the auspices of the Santa Barbara High School District and was given its own jurisdiction and Board of Trustees. Growth continued, and the college acquired and expanded its West Campus in the late ‘60s.
Santa Barbara City College now enrolls over 41,000 students each semester and operates one of the state’s largest continuing education programs.

The Legacy Continues
The California Community Colleges have made great strides since their inception in the early 1900s, but one of their most exceptional lasting legacies are the contributions these campuses have made to their communities. Both Fresno and Santa Barbara city colleges were conceived with great support from their communities and continue these relationships today.

“We are truly an integral part of the community,” says Fresno City College President Dr. Cynthia Azari. Never was this more evident than at the 100 Stars for 100 Years ceremonies held during the centennial year. “Every time we would recognize some of our 100 stars, after the ceremony they would chat about their experiences on the campus. Some I heard were, ‘I met my wife here 40 years ago,’ or  ‘I was involved with the student newspaper,’ or ‘my cousin came up with the name of the student newspaper.’”

The current economic climate has only reinforced the necessity of community colleges in California. It is a mission that both Fresno and Santa Barbara city colleges strive to uphold every day.

“If there is anything these last few years have reinforced for us is that the demand for what we have to offer, which is a truly exceptional education at a very affordable price and very comprehensive student support services… the demand for this has never been greater,” says Santa Barbara City College President Dr. Andreea Serban. “We have the unique capacity of community colleges among higher education institutions to really deliver on the promise of open access.”

No other state in the union has as robust a community college system as California. In recent years, the California Community Colleges have welcomed their 112th college, reached an annual student body of millions, and launched the largest community college fundraising effort to date. Community colleges are on the leading edge of new technology training, offer a wide variety of support services to students and the community, and are continually growing. No one can say for sure what the next century will hold for California’s community colleges, but if it is anything like the past century, it is sure to be promising.