Vol. 6, No. 6
Charlotte College, Charlotte, N. C.
February 18, 1955
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEMS MUST HAVE SUPPORT
By Louella Robinson
For a long' time those of us who
are truly interested in the ad
vancement of education have been
keeping a keen eye on the events
and progress made in the further
ance of community collegss. The
Commission on Higher Education,
Raleigh, North Carolina, has sum
marized for us some startling facts.
It seems that North Carolina is
not getting the results in higher
education which might be expected
in view cf the amount of money
being spent. This state ranks much
higher nationally on effort put
forth than on results achieved. In
1950 North Carolina ranked 47th
among the 48 states as to the pro
portion of its population in college;
however, she ranked 32nd among
the states in the funds receivsd by
institutions of higher education
from the State for operating pur
poses per capita.
The Commission is deeply con
cerned with the fact that, although
North Carolina is spending the
money, it is apparently not educat
ing its young people at the college
level as is the rest of the nation.
Why does a state which pays more
get less in higher education? Is it
possible that North Carolina is
putting too much of its higher
education money into “frills and
furbelows” instead of into low-cost
higher education at the under
graduate level ?
As the Commission points out,
it is hardly wise to provide ex
pensive advanced training leading
to the doctor’s degree in areas of
interest mainly to nonresidents
when our own young people are
not being educated in sufficient
numbers at the undergraduate
level. The shocking truth is that
of the 25 doctorate degrees award
ed by North Carolina State College
in June, 1954, only one recipient
came originally from North Caro
lina. Four were aliens.
This condition does not exist be
cause North Carolina is not pro
viding funds to support higher
education. The present method of
appropriating and distributing
funds is inadequately planned. It
is reasonei! that it will be less
expensive for the State and for
parents if facilities are provided
that are low in cost and within
commuting distance of many stu
dents. The savings resulting from
not having to provide extensive
dormitory facilities are apparent.
There are obvious and justifiable
reasons for creating such commun
ity college systems. There is the
need to overcome economic barriers
faced by able youth from low-
income families; the need to pro
vide vocational training for be
ginning workers in agriculture,
homemaking, industry, and busi
ness; the need for more adult edu
cation within commuting distance
of large numbers of adults; and
the need for better training for
citizenship.
North Carolina has fcur public
community colleges. They are lo
cated at Asheville, Charlotte, and
Wilmington for white students and
at Charlotte for Negroes. No State
funds are now provided for the
operation of these institutions,
each being supported financially
from local funds and tuition.
Within the next 15 years college
enrollment is expected to increase
97 per cent! The community col
lege may be North Carolina’s solu
tion for the problems of the large
increase in enrollment that is pre
dicted.
Charlotte Community College
System is located in an area of
nearly a million people (within a
50 mile radius), where annually
there are more than five thousand
high school graduates living a
hundred miles from the nearest
state-supported college. This Sys
tem, supported by tuitions and a
local two-cents tax levy, is finding
it increasingly difficuU to finance
the first two years of college work.
State support is needed to bring
this program up to desired stand
ards and to provide the technical
education so badly needed for this
rapidly developing Piedmont area.
(Excerpts from the Report of
the Commission on Higher Edu
cation, Raleigh, North Carolina,
1955)
SYMPATHY
The faculty and student body cf
Charlotte College extend their
deepest sympathy to Ken Harris
and family in the death of his
mother Mrs. Roy L. Harris of
of Statesville.
The faculty and students body
of Charlotte College express
their sincere sympathy to Harry
Poovey and family in the death of
his father Mr. F. 0. Poovey of
Charlotte.
FRESHMAN PROBLEMS
The Freshmen of Charlotte Col
lege have many problems and in
the following paragraphs you will
find the problems of a student
working his way through college,
the student and military service,
the student and the question of
"Is College Worth While?” and the
prime purpose of College.
Working your way through College
I believe that an individual must
possess a genuine desire for an
education if he is to undertake the
task of putting himself through
college. One who finds that he
desires to better fit himself for this
present day and time must be will
ing to accept the long and tiring
hours cf work and study, as w’ell
as the daily routine of classroom
procedure. In order to accept facts,
an individual must know and un
derstand himself. There will be
occasions when a movie is more
inviting that a history book; and
there will be even less time for the
outside activities such as athletics,
dramatics, social hours. Are you
willing, and are you able to adapt
yourself to such a routine?
A definite course should be in
the undertaking, for a working
student does not have the time nor
money to waste on indecisions and
fickleness. Such a student usually
has a purpose for college training
and he knows his ultimate goal:
where he is going and what he
intends to do. Knowing your abili
ties and interests will help to ob
tain a stable decision in mapping
a college career.
The first question that the hes-
itent character will ask is, “How
can I manage to meet the expense
of college?" If you are sincere in
your desire to learn, then there
will surely be a way. The object
is to seek out a particular “way”
and to follow’ through on a con
crete plan.
There are numerous systems that
colleges have set up in order to
help the working student obtain an
education. One of the most popular
is known as “self-help.” In this
particular system, the student is
given a choice of campus jobs, such
as librarian, office clerk, assistant
to instructors, etc. Many schools
operate their own tavern or soda
shop, post office, book store; such
operations as these always offer
possibilities of employment. Some
students may find it more profit
able to be able to work in a pri-
SCHOOL BOARD ANNOUNCES
PLANS
At the City School Board meet
ing February 7, a delegation of
members of the Charlotte College
advisory committee and college
officials headed by J. Murrey
Atkins, advisory board chairman,
presented the recommendation for
the addit'onal building at Central
High School.
The proposed building would be
erected on Cecil Street between the
Central High School gymnasium
and music building.
The proposed structure estimated
to cost around $35,000 would pro
vide office space for the college
and institute directors, admini
strative space and space for draft
ing, electronics, communications
and electrical laboratories.
Cost would be met with fundi
raised by the two-cent community
college tax levy approved by a
vote of the people last year.
The board’s action consisted of
authorization to the architectural
firm of Biberstein, Bowles &.
Meacham to proceed with prep
aration of plan.s.
Final plans are to be submitted
to the board for approval after
which the call for contractors bids
will be authorized.
If funds are available the pro
posed construction will be of such
nature as to allow for an addi
tional story later.
vately owned organization of public
business. Of course, with this
method it is left up to the student
and his employer to agree on a
schedule that will enable the stu
dent to meet all of his classes and
the stated hours of actual work.
Another program that a majority
of schools have estal)lished is that
of scholarships and loan funds.
A number of small scholarships
are obtainable through the rec|uest
of the student; these scholarships
are usually granted to an indi
vidual who has shown outstanding
merits of scholastic ability in high
school, as well as high moral
character. Students are also able
to borrow from loan funds with
the understanding and agreement
that the loan is to be refunded to
the school.
No doubt, you wonder if educa
tion is worth the struggle, the
sacrifice, and the effort. Educated
—for what? The success of any-
(Continued on page 4)