From Vanport to PSC: a scant nine years Continued from p. 6 the establishment of an autonomous slate college in the Portland melrOlXllitan area with both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Jumping onto the opposition bandwagon as the bill gained credibility were O.S.c., the Chamber of Commerce in Corvallis, the U. of Oregon, and the Association of Independent Colleges. There were some who felt the notion of a Portland Slate College was absurd (the child of "clever operators and local partisanship," said the U. of O. faculty, or at best a dilution of slate educational standards, said the U. of O. president). And there were others who simply fell that the proponents were going too fast. The bill, eYen with some compromise amendmcob. was defeated. But it didn't take long for another bill to surface. this one in response to a recent study of teacher education around the state conducted by the Board. H.B. 713. also introduced in 1953, would allow the extension center "to offer a four-year undergraduate program for the training of elementary and secondary school teachers, and also undergraduate work in the broad fields of humanities, social science and science-mathematics." Not without some debate and opposition, the bill pussecL setting the ... Iage for the rapid events of the next two years. A quarler shorl With the added programs. students could complete all their college degree requirements at Portland State, except the final quarter, which had to be spent in residence at another Slate System institution. Portland State became even more attractive and viable for local degree-seeking students. and enrollments jumped from 1,663 students in 1952-53 to 3.004 in 1954-55. In 1954. the State Board took a hard look at the Portland State Center. noting its history and its strengths with a view to what a city of 100,000 might expect of a public four-year college. Portland State survived the scrutiny and the Board recommended that legislation be drafted to establish a separate institution in Portland within the state's higher education system. Both the Senate and the House were greeted in the 1955 session with bills to abolish the Portland State Extension Center and establish Portland State College, The Senate version. hacked by the Board, specified that the COllege be located in Linco[n High School and adjacent property. whereas the House version only referred to a location somewhere in the City of Portland. The House bill was tabled by the House Committee all Education, which set to work on the Senate bill. A brief amendment was drafted ~ nineteen words that shaped the character of Portland State (or years to come. The amendment read, "Portland State Co/fege_ should be a downtown city college, and shall not be if col/e&c of the campus type. .. The House then passed Senate Bill No.1, the Senate passed it, the Governor sigfled it, and on February 8, 1955, Portland State College became a reality. For those who would start this ...tory with the establishment at Vanport in 1946 of a temporary extension Center for returning veterans of World War II, il had taken a scant nine years to prove that the "college" was indeed not going to die. In fact, it lived on until 1969. when it became a university. But thaI's another story. (The source of fh,~ mMeri.J1 is .J doc/or,l! di5Q:'rt.l/lon by John A. RIchardson. enlitled "The fl"Olullon of if UniversIty: A CaS£' Study of an Or8<mi2alion .Jnd 1/5 fn"'rQnmpn/," /'I7-U Portland U N I v E R s I State T Y 1946 - 1985 After 39 years, we're baving a party. [fyou've something in common with Vanport, PSC or PSU, join us for an uncommon affair. .. , , ,an evening of music and comedy bv some of Portlahd's brightest talent -- a light buffet-- no host cocktails -- door prizes -- and an auction of selected travel packages, Rian's Atrium Restaurant 100 S.W. Market Saturday, February 23 8 p.m.-l a.m. Yes, Wild Il\{' _______ tickets al $2U m.ch fill' Unt1lnllllunly ~()()[\ liKJli ,md (-Ull'1'lnilllllt'llt. Enclosed is Ill." check for S-p. . ,y.,ble 10: I'SU I"ound:llion. Nal1le: _____________________________ AdffiT~, ______________________________ CItY:_________________State:_____Zlp:____ D3."11hom.": __________________ _________ For mort' infbnni.llivn: 229--1-91 t. PSU FOilIld/llion. (All lick!'t".11Y' I~l\ t1tductiblt' wi/lIill /c.f(.111imits.) 7
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