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Highland Community College (Kansas)

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Coordinates: 39°51′35″N 95°16′16″W / 39.8598525°N 95.2712458°W / 39.8598525; -95.2712458
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Highland Community College
File:Highland Community College (Kansas) logo.png
Former names
Highland College
TypePublic community college
Established1858
PresidentDeborah Fox
Location
Highland
,
Kansas
,
United States[1]

39°51′35″N 95°16′16″W / 39.8598525°N 95.2712458°W / 39.8598525; -95.2712458
CampusRural
ColorsNavy and Gold
   
NicknameScotties
MascotScottie
Websitehighlandcc.edu

Highland Community College (HCC) is a public community college in Highland, Kansas.

History

The college considers Highland University the precursor to Highland Community College, making it the first college in Kansas.[2]

Founding

In November 1857 the Highland Presbytery was organized as part of the Missouri Synod and at the synods first meeting it was decided that a Presbyterian Acadamy would be established; By December the board had voted to establish Highland University in place of the Acadamy to satisfy the founders' goal for highland to become an Educational and Religious center for the new territories. James Cambell acted as board president and Irvin acting as Secretary. The Highland Town Company set aside four blocks on the western side of town for the college.[3][4] The school was chartered by an act of the Kansas Territorial legislature, signed by Territorial Governor James W. Denver on February 9, 1858—making it one of the first three institutes of higher education incorporated in Kansas Territory, all of which were incorporated on that date.[5]

1858-1860

James Cambell became headmaster of the college in 1858. Cambell Travelled back east to raise funds due to the campus' first building Irvin Hall going almost double the projected budget. Campbell was largely unsuccessful at obtaining funds and resigned in March of 1859. Cambell was followed by two more headmasters in quick succession, but his board seat was filled by John Bayless for the next 10 years.[6]

1860-1865

Rev. J.D. Paxton became headmaster in the fall of 1860. Women were permitted to attend classes at highland during this time but were supposed to be supervised by female instructors. Paxton wanted to expand the curriculum to include college courses that fall but his plans were squashed by the onset of the American Civil War.[7] Most of the income of the college during the war was from the rent of the Mission's farm that was relinquished to the university. The war reduced student populations thus lowering Paxton's salary. Despite Paxton being permitted to live in Irvin Hall it wasn't enough causing his resignation in December of 1861. Samuel Irvin became headmaster from 1861 - 1863. Reverend H.P Johnson succeeded Irvin and founded the Highland Congregational Church. In 1864 the synod of Kansas was formed; the synod consisted of the Leavenworth, Topeka, and Highland Presbyteries. The university was handed over to the synod in 1865 believing that the support of the synod would grow the university.[8]

1865-1870

Reverend William Bishiop was headmaster from 1864 to 1865 with Professor JC Mcelroy acting as headmaster until Samuel Irvin picked up the reins again for the 1866-67 school year. Academy classes were included in the 1865 curriculum but still no college courses. William T. Gage was headmaster from 1867 to 1870 and was relatively popular with one of his most prominent moves being the purchase of the school's bell.[9] John powers Johnson became the board of trustees' president in November of 1869 following Bayless' return to his home state of New York. Johnson due to his large investment in the town of Highland (including the bank) knew that his livelihood rode on the success of the college.[10] The Highland Presbyterian Mission was purchased by Johnson from the university in April of 1868. Johnson Authorized the partial demolition of the mission (roughly 1/4) and then later authorized more resulting in the 40% of the building we see today.[11] Since the colleges inception until 1870 there was no dorms or eating facilities forcing students to find room and board in town.[9] The first dorm on campus was completed around the same time as Johnson's ascension to presidency. This Dorm was a female dormitory and sits on the president day site of Culbertson Auditorium and was named for Sophie Rubeti.[12] The second dormitory was called the square house, it sat on the corner of Prairie and Pennsylvania street. The square house was a boy's dorm and was constructed using the missions' building materials. The rest of the building materials were sold off to help ease the debt burden on the college despite the original plan of further campus expansion with them.[13]

Naming history:[14]

  • 1857 - Highland Presbyterian Academy
  • 1858 - Highland University
  • 1910 - Highland College
  • 1921 - Highland Junior College
  • 1929 - Northeast Kansas Junior College
  • 1937 - Highland Public Junior College
  • 1959 - Doniphan County Junior College
  • 1965 - Highland Community Junior College
  • 1980 - Highland Community College

Campus

The college's campus includes several historical buildings:

  • Irvin Hall - First permanent building at Highland Community College
  • Rubeti Memorial - Named for Sophie Rubeti a young Sac Indian girl who fatally died of Tuberculosis shortly after her eighteenth birthday. Sophie instructed that half of her 200-dollar savings would go to the college and the other half to "teach little children to follow Christ." The bricks of the monument are from the fireplace of the former Rubeti Lodge[15]

Athletics

Main article: Highland Scotties

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ GNIS for Highland Community College; USGS; August 16, 2012.
  2. ^ Highland Community College. "Mission and History". highlandcc.edu. Archived from the original on August 17, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  3. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). pp. 10–11.
  4. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). p. 9.
  5. ^ Driggs, S. W. Private laws of the territory of Kansas. unknown library. S.W. Driggs, 1858. pp. 77–79.
  6. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). pp. 16–17.
  7. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). p. 17.
  8. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). p. 18.
  9. ^ a b Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). pp. 19–20.
  10. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). p. 21.
  11. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). pp. 22, 24.
  12. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). p. 22.
  13. ^ Parish, A.J. (1983). History of Highland Community College (1st ed.). pp. 22–24.
  14. ^ "General Information". Highland Community College. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Rubeti Memorial Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2022-10-30.


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