At Seattle Central Community College, 25 Years Of Change

CAPITOL HILL

In the 1960s, students at Seattle Central Community College could choose from courses in dry cleaning, key-punch operating or "Modern Woman - Career and Home Degree."

A quarter century later, SCCC students are taking such courses as biotechnology or interpreter training.

Seattle Central, the city's first community college, founded in 1966, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with special programs throughout the year. In February, college officials will break ground for an $11.5 million gymnasium and activities center.

The college was established in the old Edison Technical School on Broadway. It was part of the Seattle School District until 1967, when the state community-college system was formed.

The mid-city campus enrollment has actually shrunk a bit with age. The first year there were 13,979 students and 199 employees. This past year there were 8,768 students and 173 employees.

That doesn't mean fewer students in community college, though. Seattle Central was joined later in the Seattle Community College District by North and South Seattle community colleges.

Seattle Central has enrolled 230,000 students over the years and pioneered several programs. It was among the first colleges to place hearing-impaired students in regular classrooms.

Its Program for the Deaf and multidisciplinary teaching programs are nationally known. It also is the only community college in the state to have a Middle College High School on campus, where students earn high-school and college credits at the same time.