ACC Flashback: 1973

View a clip of original faculty talking about the college’s first days. It’s from the college’s 25th anniversary video produced in 1998.

ACC 35th Anniversary

Editor’s Note: On September 17, 1973, Austin Community College opened its doors, only nine months after winning voter approval. The following story appeared in the Austin American-Statesman on September 17, 1973.

Community College Begins Campus Life

By Crispin James
Staff Writer

The first day of Austin Community College (ACC) began with a flurry of activity.

“Not everyone has found the parking lot yet,” said President Thomas Hatfield, “and there are still long registration lines.

The important thing, people interested in attending this college are a cross-section of the community as a whole.”

Late registration will continue until Sept. 28 at the near Ridgewood campus, 901 Neal. Other campuses of the college are the Austin campus, 1212 Rio Grande; Crockett campus, 5601 Manchaca, and the Reagan campus, 7104 Berkman.

Hatfield said the student body is composed of recent high school graduates as well as those from ages 30-60 who have no previous college experience.

Ethnically, he said, the student body is 75 percent white and 25 percent black and Mexican-American, “typical of the city as a whole.”

College officials report that 2,000 students have already enrolled at the college.

One student, Gaines Froeschl, 18, a recent Travis High School graduate, said ACC is different from what he expected.

“It’s a real relaxed atmosphere. My first class was self-based math. You are allowed to go at your own speed and decide what grade you want to work on, I like it,” Froeschl said.

Another student, Pam Meredith, 18, a Manor High graduate, said she was “kinda confused,” but that the first day had been “very exciting.”

And Marvin Powell, a 35-year-old welfare department employee, said he was looking forward to his first classes in welding and air conditioning. For him, ACC will provide his first taste of college life.

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