State

plight College The sign marks site of Charlotte's war-baby college, but it really is outside Central High School, which becomes a college building at four p.m. each day. Wilmington has a similar city college. — Tom Franklin Photo. FOUNDED 1946 Charlotte's “center*’ survives emer¬ gency and now 800 students are enrolled. Charlotte College, which owes its existence to the backwash of one war, is finding its growth impeded by the ssibilities of a new one. The dream of enlarging from a two- year junior college to a full-fledged four-year college is eclipsed by the reality that established North Carolina colleges are feeling a drop in enroll¬ ment. Miss Bonnie E. Cone, calm and competent director of Charlotte Col¬ lege, takes a realistic view of the future. "Even though the processes are set up to enlarge," she explains "there is no particular need for a four-year col¬ lege in Charlotte at this time. So many young men are going into service and are being forced to delay their formal education that the educational facili¬ ties on the college level in the state are more than adequate for the present." Until the need for increased facili¬ ties is evident, Charlotte College is willing to concentrate on being a good evening college for those seeking col¬ lege credits, and a good night school for adults seeking special courses. Charlotte found itself with a new college almost overnight in 1946. The North Carolina College Conference and the State Department of Public Instruc¬ tion decided to sponsor a group of col¬ lege centers to provide first-year col¬ lege work for returning veterans. In 1946, 2,765 students enrolled at the twelve college centers in the slate, 820 of them in the Charlotte Center. In 1947, six of the smaller centers discontinued operation, and a seventh at Wilmington withdrew’ when that city look steps to organize its own col¬ lege. The Charlotte Center grew, adding a sophomore year. After the third year of operation, however, the North Carolina College Conference felt that the emergency had passed and voted to withdraw its sponsorship of the college centers. The conference could look back with considerable satisfaction at the results of its college center work. During the three-year period, college center stu¬ dents had been accepted in 32 of the state’s 4 1 colleges and in 35 additional colleges located outside the state. More than half of the students enrolled dur¬ ing that three-year period in College centers had gone on to complete their college work. By HAY HOWE The Charlotte City School board was reluctant to let the college idea drop out of sight. It prompted the City Council to take steps to make the center a permanent college, and in 1949 the General Assembly passed a bill authorizing the City School Board to administer Charlotte College as a part of the public school system and to charge tuition. In addition, it set aside SI 0,000 to help finance the school. To date the college has financed its operation with tuition money alone. Last year there was a total of 790 individuals enrolled in the three phases of the work olTered at Charlotte Col¬ lege, 271 in regular college classes- and 519 in non-college credit and special courses. This year there arc 164 students working for college credits and approximately 200 in adult courses and special classes. Scattered Student Body Seventy per cent of the students work either part time or full time, and then pick up their school books and head for classes. They come not only from Charlotte but also from Kannapolis, Concord, Gastonia, Monroe and other towns in the Piedmont area. For the most part the students arc younger this year than they had been in the two previous years. The president of the student body this year is nineteen years old; last year the president was 28. The college is housed in the Cen¬ tral High School building just a few blocks away from the main business section of Charlotte. For a campus it has the paved surface of one of the main streets, and for a neighbor it has the barn-like Charlotte Armory, home ( Continual on page 17) THE STATE, Vol. XIX; No. 33. Entered as »econd-cl**s matter, June 1, 1933. at the PoMofflce at Ralelich. North Carolina, under the act of March J, 1839. 1'ublUhed by Sharpe РиЫЬЫпв Co.. Inc., Lawyers Hide., lUlelRh. N. C.