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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate the
4administration, staff, and students of Olney Central College in
5Olney on the occasion of the college's 50th anniversary; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Olney Central College is a 2-year, co-educational
7public community college operated by Illinois Eastern
8Community Colleges District 529; Olney Central was founded in
91963 after a citizens' committee for education was formed by
10the president of the East Richland Community Unit 1 Board of
11Education; on June 13, 1962, the superintendent of public
12instruction approved a public referendum to determine if the
13voters of the East Richland school district supported a Class
14II Junior College; the referendum establishing Olney Community
15College passed 2,578 to 585 during a special election held on
16September 15, 1962; and
 
17    WHEREAS, On September 3, 1963, Olney Community College
18opened in the former Pure Oil Company building with a total
19enrollment of 154 students; Olney Community College
20subsequently experienced rapid growth; by the fall of 1965, the
21college had 303 students; soon after, efforts began to make
22Olney Community College a Class I Area College; in 1967,
23approval was received from the Junior College Board; in April

 

 

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1of 1967, the college received Class I approval from the State
2Board of Higher Education; and
 
3    WHEREAS, On September 7, 1967, the referendum for Class I
4status for Olney Community College was approved by vote of
57,278 to 778; on July 1, 1968, Olney Community College
6officially became a Class I College and was renamed Olney
7Central College; the college then joined with Lincoln Trail
8College and Wabash Valley College to form what would become
9Illinois Eastern Community Colleges District 529; and
 
10    WHEREAS, In later years, Olney Central College grew
11steadily; the groundbreaking for Wattleworth Hall was held on
12December 8, 1971; in 1974, classes began in the new building; 2
13years later, the college's gymnasium and the Dr. John D. Stull
14Performing Arts Center were built; and
 
15    WHEREAS, In the course of its 50-year history, Olney
16Central College has graduated over 18,500 students and has
17instructed thousands of other students; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Olney Central College will celebrate its 50th
19anniversary with numerous events planned throughout 2013; a
20special "50th Anniversary Celebration" will be held on October
2123, 2013 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of
22the college; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we congratulate the administration, staff, and students of
4Olney Central College on the occasion of the college's 50th
5anniversary and wish them continued success and happiness in
6the future; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Board of
9Trustees as a symbol of our esteem and respect.