Classrooms Building A, 1954. Azusa and Glendora Elementary School Districts election voted in favor on Oct. 4, 1946 of school bonds for the expansion of the Junior College to include administration offices, classrooms and a library. (Courtesy of the Citrus College Centennial Committee)
By Mercedes Del Real | Staff Writer
In celebration of its 100th birthday, Citrus College is reaching out to the community to participate in several fall events leading into the homecoming football game on Oct. 11.
Founded in 1915 by Dr. Floyd S. Hayden, Ph. D. Citrus College is the oldest community college in Los Angeles County and the fifth oldest in the state.
The centennial will be observed through the 2014-2015 academic year. To plan the first three special events, committees of students and staff members have put together several activities during homecoming day to get students excited and involved in the centennial.
The events all start at 2 p.m. and end at 6 p.m. in time for the homecoming game.
One of the events that will be taking place is a history exhibit titled “Citrus College: The First Century” which will be displayed in the Hayden Memorial Library on Oct. 11.
The exhibit will depict the school’s evolution from a junior college with only 25 students to today’s large community college with more than 11,000 students.
On display will be pictures of the campus’ original buildings and different classroom instruments used throughout the years, such as typewriters and movie projectors.
Architecture and design students are building models of Citrus Union High School and of the first college buildings that were built on the Citrus Union campus.
Also in the planning stages is a self-guided walking tour that will guide users around campus to explain what used to be in those locations when Citrus was founded, Sarah Bosler, public services librarian, said.
This tour can be accessed with the help of a smart phone, using a QR code, or from the special centennial edition of this newspaper that will be on stands Oct. 8.
The Centennial Committee wants to educate students of the college’s rich history, but also get the students involved.
A section in the stadium is to be reserved at the homecoming game for student organizations and clubs. These groups will be known as spirit squads and will be competing against each other.
“We really want students to come, to feel a connection to their college and to have a great time and support our athletes,” said Adrienne Thompson, student activities supervisor. Admission to the homecoming football game is free for everyone. “We want everybody to celebrate the fact we’re the oldest community college in Los Angeles County.
“We want everybody to be proud of their school,” Thompson said.
