Palm Beach Junior Collage
N 26° 42.582 W 080° 03.621
17R E 593468 N 2954627
Palm Beach Community College was founded in 1933 as Palm Beach Junior College and was the first public junior college in the state of Florida.
Waymark Code: WM7HJV
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 10/27/2009
Views: 21
SOUTH SIDE OF THE MARKER READS:
This Mediterranean Revival style building housed Palm Beach College, Florida's first public community college, when it was established here in 1933. The college outgrew these facilities after the Second World War and moved in 1948 to Morrison Field, a U.S. Army Air Base, renovated to accommodate the influx of students in peace time. In 1955 the college relocated to it's present site in Lake Worth.
Among the civic leaders were palm Beach County Superintendent of Schools Joseph A. Youngblood and palm Beach High School Principal Howell L. Watkins. The college served as a model for the state-wide system of Junior Colleges. Three students were in the first graduating class of 1936. In 1936 John I Leonard became the first president of the Palm Beach Junior Collage
(Continued on the other side)
THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MARKER READS:
(Continued from the other side)
William manly King(1886-1961), a noted West Palm Beach architect, designed this building in the Mediterranean Revival style so popular in Florida in the 1020's. The design complemented the adjacent Palm Beach High School campus and this building was occupied in 1927. As architect for the Palm Beach County Board of Public Instruction he designed numerous hotels in West Palm Beach, the National Guard Armory(1939), the Hibiscus Garden Apartments(1926) ans the seal for the City of West Palm Beach.
In June, 1991 the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Mediterranean Revival classroom building continued to serve the needs of the School Board and in November, 1991 it was returned to Palm Beach Community College. The College Foundation undertook the challenge of restoring the building for the continuing education of citizens on our community.
This historical marker is dedicated to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Palm Beach Community College, 1933-1993
Palm Beach Community College (PBCC) enrolls more than 49,000 students in over 100 programs of study including bachelor of applied science, associate of arts and associate of science degree programs and short-term certificates. The most popular program of study is the associate in arts degree. Among associate in science degrees, the nursing program has the highest enrollment and number of graduates. In August 2009, the college started its first baccalaureate program, a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Supervision & Management. The District Board of Trustees has authorized development of a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Information Management. The college is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the Bachelor of Applied Science, Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees.
Notable Alumni & Attendees
Alumni Notability
Wilson G. Bradshaw Current President of Florida Gulf Coast University
Crystl Bustos Olympic Gold Medalist in Softball
Ken Green Professional golfer
Yolanda Griffith Olympic Gold Medalist and Professional Basketball Player
Deidre Hall Television actress
Monte Markham Television and movie actor
Jesper Parnevik Professional golfer
Judge Reinhold Television and movie actor
Burt Reynolds Television and movie actor
Lucia St. Clair Robson Historical novelist
Charles Willeford American writer
Gareth Williams Television and movie actor
James L. Wattenbarger Architect of the Florida Community College system
Marker Number: F-346
Date: 1993
County: Palm Beach
Marker Type: Roadside
Sponsored or placed by: The Palm Beach Community Collage Foundation, Florida Department of State
Website: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
Please post a photo at the marker location.