Los Banos Rotary Club History
Clark Tells Of Plans For Junior College Survey

George Clark, superintendent of Merced County Schools, Tuesday noon gave members of the Los Banos Rotary Club a resume of a survey now being made in the county to determine whether or not a junior college should be established in this county. Clark said the committee, which includes representatives from most all communities in the county except Los Banos, expects that it will require about six months to make the full study and arrive at a recommendation.

Clark briefly traced the system, of the junior college system, stating the first such institution was established at Chicago in 1896. There are now 590 junior colleges in the United States, of which 55 are in California with an enrollment of about 70,000 students. Average enrollment varies widely, from 300 to nearly 3500.

Advantages of the junior college system, Clark said, is that it provides educational facilities beyond high school for many young people within daily traveling distance, thus reducing the expense of college training; and enables many persons to secure two additional years of college training who otherwise would be forced to conclude their education with graduation from high school."

Clark pointed out there are two types of courses; (1) a 2-year terminus course of vocational training; and (2) two years of college preparatory studies for students who will later transfer to universities and to complete college entrance qualifications for students who did not make qualifications for students who did not make qualifying grades while in high school.
Clark said that at the present time there are 295 Merced County residents attending junior college at Modesto, Fresno and other schools, for which Merced County contributes about $90,000 in tuition fees. Average cost per student per year, Clark said, is about $450.

Clark said that should a junior college be established in this county, an enrollment of about 600 students could be anticipated on the basis of experience in other communities where such schools have been started.
At present, support of junior college students in this county costs taxpayers about 11 cents per $100 of valuation. Clark said this tax cost for a junior college in the county would possibly be 20 to 25 cents, plus probably $1.00 for capital outlay investment and like expenditures.

He stated that any particular district in the county could be excluded from a junior college district if desired, but pointed out that county-wide inclusion is desirable to spread the cost out as widely and equitably as possible.
Clark's talk opened up a general group discussion by Judge D. Oliver Germino, Randal Fawcett, Carlyle Loftin, R. M. Miano and others, relative to need and practibility of such a college, plus present state standards and prescribed training programs at elementary and high school level. Judge Germino emphasized that with the county's increasing population and present need for additional facilities in the local grade and high schools our first attention should be given to furnishing these facilities. He also pointed out that an alarmingly small percentage of high school students are able to qualify for college work.

Clark and Loftin pointed out that it is fallacy to assume that every student is mentally equal and that people sometimes fail to realize that I.Q. tests in high school vary from 60 to 150 points, and that few students with an I. Q. of less than one-hundred are capable of accomplishing regular college work. As a result, Clark said, high school education must be planned to give each student the most fitting and practical education possible, with goals set at the middle or average I.Q. level.

Miano closed the impromptu discussion with an immediate appeal for public support of the Los Banos Elementary School's need for additional facilities to handle increasing enrollment here next year, and asked the group to approve the $150,000 bond issue that will be submitted to the people at the school election on Friday, May 20.

Rotary President announced there would be no noon meeting on May 31, as both Rotary and Lions Clubs are joining with the Los Banos Native Sons in a dinner honoring the high school baseball team. Sponsored by the Native Sons the dinner will be held at the D.E.S. hall, starting at 7:30 p.m.

May 13, 1955

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