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Weatherford College (WC; officially Weatherford College of the Parker County Junior College District) is a community college located in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas, with branch campuses in nearby Wise County, Granbury and Mineral Wells. ==History== WC's roots are in the Phoenix Masonic Lodge No. 273, which laid the cornerstone for the school on July 5, 1869 at the corner of South Main and Lee Streets in Weatherford. After years of construction starts and delays, the first graduating class of six students received their diplomas on June 15, 1875. It is the oldest continuing community college in the southwest. The original campus, known as Old Main, was a brick structure 50x75 feet and two stories high. At an estimated cost of $12,000 it was named the Weatherford Masonic Institute and served as both a school and Masonic Lodge. The Phoenix Lodge faced financial problems for the next 20 years, and on May 23, 1885 the Phoenix Lodge sold the Masonic Institute to Mr. M. C. Brown who leased the building to the Methodist Church. The Trustees changed the name to Cleveland College in hopes that it might influence President Cleveland to provide some financial support. It was noted that his support consisted of only 1,000 bound copies of the Congressional Record. No monetary contribution was ever made to the college. Previously, at its annual meeting in 1873, the Weatherford District Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South had passed a resolution authorizing the formation of a high school for Granbury and the authority to erect a three-story stone building to house the school. This school, too, was faced with financial difficulties, and in order to increase revenue, junior college courses were added, and Granbury College was born September 1881. Dr. David S. Switzer was elected president. The only Methodist Junior College in west Texas and very popular with the people of Granbury, the college grew in the next five years. However, in January 1887, the people’s optimism waned when the main building and all its contents were destroyed by fire. Granbury College immediately initiated a rebuilding program, but because of severe drought, the money was not available. With no funds for rebuilding or to retire the mortgage, Dr. Switzer recommended that the College look for a new “home.” One of the interested citizens of Granbury reported a friend of his had called and told him the College property in Weatherford was for sale. Mr. Brown had been unable to make payments on his note for Cleveland College, and the college had reverted back to the Phoenix Lodge. This citizen committed to use his influence to move Granbury College to Weatherford “if the citizens of Granbury would purchase the property and furnish a certain amount of money sufficient to repair the present building for school purposes.” Within four days, the citizens of Granbury complied with his request, and the Weatherford District Conference of the Methodist Church purchased the property, immediately changing the name from Cleveland College to Weatherford College – thus ended the existence of Granbury College and its 16-year history. However, it was renewed under the name of Weatherford College to carry on the same type of work, which had characterized Granbury College. The history of Granbury College and Weatherford College is forever linked, because the Granbury institution’s president and faculty became Weatherford College’s first president and faculty. Weatherford College existed as a Methodist college from 1889 until 1901 when it became a training school. It was officially called the Weatherford College Training School for Boys, and later, upon the admission of girls, was changed to Weatherford College Training School. In 1921, Weatherford College was reorganized and became a junior college, offering college transfer courses once again. It was still under the direction of the Methodist Church. By December 1943 enrollment had dropped due to World War II forcing the college to accept a merger proposal submitted by Southwestern University of Georgetown, Texas, who changed the name once again to Weatherford College of Southwestern University. This relationship continued until June 1949 when Weatherford College was released to Parker County. The State Board of Education approved the creation of a junior college district on July 11, 1949. This action allowed the College to receive financial assistance from the State of Texas. Facing continued growth, and landlocked in its existing location, WC purchased 90 acres (36 ha) in southeastern Weatherford and built a new facility which opened in the fall of 1968. Weatherford College currently has Education Centers in Mineral Wells and Granbury and a Wise County campus which opened in the fall of 2012. In 2008, the WC Board of Trustees purchased 30 acres in Aledo for a future branch campus in eastern Parker County. WC now officially serves the citizens of Parker, Palo Pinto, Hood, Jack and Wise counties. Weatherford College provides programs that parallel the first two years of baccalaureate education, prepares students for vocational and professional degrees and provides valuable lifelong learning opportunities. Through its academic transfer and technical and career programs, Weatherford College has developed a national reputation for its academic standard and outstanding career programs. The instructors at Weatherford College include 129 full-time and about 143 adjunct faculty; 65 percent of the FTE is taught by full-time masters and doctorate holders. As the campus has continued to grow, so too has the student enrollment. The 2013 fall enrollment reached an all-time high at just over 5,700, made up of students from all over Texas, 32 other states and 23 foreign countries. Through partnerships with institutions such as the University of Texas at Arlington and Tarleton State University, to name a few, WC students may also pursue bachelor, master and doctorate degrees. The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and many other program-specific accrediting authorities. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Weatherford College」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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