North Campus History
Any early history of Burlington Junior College has to be predicated by the determination of the early
Burlington settlers in the 1850's to provide educational opportunities in the community-- not only
elementary and high school but also post high school. They were alert to the establishment of Iowa
Wesleyan College (Methodist), Parsons College (Presbyterian) and Carthage College (Lutheran) all 50
miles or less of Burlington. When the Baptist State Convention met in Iowa City in 1852 and considered
establishing an institution of higher education, Burlington asked and was successful in being selected
from among 13 other sites. By 1854 the first Burlington Baptist University building was completed on a
5-acre site overlooking Burlington at Valley and Woodlawn Streets. Classes started in 1855. Local
support was well maintained for several decades--enrollment reached 214 in 1886, but enrollment
interest declined in the late 1890's and the University closed its doors in 1903. The land, which was a
former cemetery, was transferred to the city and ultimately to the Burlington School District for a
future high school building.
The Burlington School District was organized in 1849 and the first school building, North Hill
Elementary School was erected at the corner of Sixth and High Streets, (the present Colonial
Apartments are located on the site.) In 1873 the first high school in Iowa was erected--it was an
attractive school located on the east side of Boundary Street (Central Avenue) between Valley and
Market Streets. (High school classes had been meeting five years earlier at the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church at the corner of 4th and Division Streets.) This building included three floors and
the basement--the top floor was a gym floor. This building was later used on occasion for the gym floor
facilities and an engineering drawing lab by the early junior college. In 1910 a new high school building
was erected on the former site of the Burlington Baptist University. In 1925 this building was enlarged
to twice its original size. This was the home of the Burlington Junior College for 40 years, sharing
faculty and facilities. (This building is now known as the Apollo Building.)
An early post-high school program offered in Burlington was the Normal School in 1878 with a one year
course in teacher training. This program provided many early elementary teachers for the Burlington
School. This was later expanded to a two year program and offered at the Burlington
Junior/Community College.
At the beginning of the 20th century a new educational concept was making its appearance in the
country, especially in the mid-west, namely the junior college. The first such educational program was
established at Joliet, Illinois in 1900, Hibbing, Minnesota in 1916 and Mason City, Iowa in 1918.
In 1919 a new Burlington High School Principal, Ray Herman Bracewell, from Springfield, Illinois
started a long educational career in Burlington retiring as Superintendent in 1954. He was a strong
supporter of the junior college concept and he recommended to the Board of Education that a two-year
college program be added to the high school program. The Board adopted this recommendation
provided that a minimum of 30 students would be enrolled. Mr. Bracewell came to be known as the
"Father" of the Burlington Junior College which he established and remained a strong supporter. In
1920 the first student was enrolled in a class of 44. Seven faculty were identified in the 1925 yearbook,
the Blackhawk (the origin of "Blackhawk" occurred several years earlier.) Most faculty held Master
Degrees. The 1922 graduating class totaled 12 students including some later teachers of the Burlington
Schools. The curriculum offered instruction in the academic areas of chemistry, math/physics, English,
French, speech, history, economics and physical education. In 1928, Odyssey of Wordsworth and
engineering drawing/graphics was added. The World War II period, 1939-1945 prompted the
inauguration of many vocational and technical plus retraining programs (trade apprentice, nursing,
etc.) Adult education in the general interest areas was also popular prompting numerous evening and
Saturday classes. In the fall of 1962, one of the first vocational/technical career programs was
established at Burlington Junior College, namely Electronic Technology.
The early role of the Dean at the Junior College was shared by a faculty member who was both a
classroom teacher and assumed some responsibility for the Junior College operation. Eventually, about
1955, the Dean became the immediate administrative officer and the High School Principal was no
longer identified with the Junior College. The first Dean of Burlington Junior College was Miss Esther
Jacobs. She taught College French and was also the High School Assistant Principal. She served as
Dean from 1920 to 1940. Mr. Virgil S. Fogdall was named Dean in 1940 and served until 1946. Mr.
Fogdall devoted considerable time to student activities and promotion of the Junior College in the
Burlington Community. During his tenure, student social activities/clubs were popular as well as the
athletic programs of football and basketball. The current North Campus logo and College Flag were
developed. Mr. Doyle D. Stonehocker was named Dean in 1946 and served until 1968. "Stony" was a
popular classroom teacher of Psychology and Sociology and a dedicated spokesman for the Arts &
Science role of the Junior College. He will be remembered for his dedication and decisiveness of
thought and action. It was during Dean Stonehocker's tenure that new facilities for the College were
being sought. One of the first moves to establish a Burlington Junior College Campus, removed from
the high school facility, occurred in 1959 when a 9-point bond issue was presented to the Burlington
taxpayers. Eight projects related to additions and new construction in the Burlington School District.
One project was a new, separate college. Early planning included a perspective rendering at Crapo
Park, east of the swimming pool off of Main Street. (51,238 square footage and a cost of $726,000. 20
classrooms and laboratories, a library, administrative area, and a large general lecture room.) The
proposition was defeated even thought there was wide support locally and from alumni. Attention then
turned to possible vacant buildings in the community. In early 1960 the Burlington School Board
investigated the old Moose Hall on North 3rd Street, the Eastman Residence on Columbia & 6th, the old
Glove Factory at 800 Washington Street, the old Post Office at 4th & Valley, and the Klein Estate on
Madison Avenue south of Crapo Park. (A delayed decision lost this site to the Klein Hospital complex.)
In early 1961 plans developed to move the junior college operation to the vacant School District
Saunderson Elementary School site on Valley Street, about one block from the high school, (The Apollo
Building.) This building was partially condemned (the top floor and lack of fire protection.) However, a
single gift of $100,000 was received from Mr. John H. Witte, Jr. which provided the necessary sums for
correcting the deficiencies in the building and adding a chemistry laboratory with the most modern
facilities, a physics laboratory and lecture room, and engineering drawing and business education
rooms were created on the top (3rd) floor. Concrete was laid in the basement and a library established
with a good size floor area. Utility services were improved and the building was occupied in the
summer of 1961. Six trailer units were also placed east of the building to accommodate an increase of
classes resulting from greater enrollments in the 60's. (419 in 1960--1,000 in 1967) Some music
instruction and activities remained at the high school facility. Career and Technical Education programs
began making their appearance in the total offerings of the Burlington Community College. (Notice the
change of name.) With the advent of the establishment of the Southeastern Community College in the
mid 60's, a structure on Highway #34 in West Burlington housed most of the Vocational/Technical
programs and administrative offices except Elementary Education. These programs eventually were
moved to the Southeastern Campus in 1972.
The 61st Iowa General Assembly passed Senate File 550 which changed the legal structure of
community colleges in Iowa. This legislative act provided for the establishment of 20 multiple-county
educational institutions. Some are known as "Area Community Colleges" and some known as "Area
Vocational Schools." 15 were finally established. Burlington and Keokuk Junior Colleges were located in
Area XVI which included 3 l/2 counties--Des Moines, Lee, Henry and the south half of Louisa. Mr. R. O.
Burkheimer was elected superintendent of Area XVI by a Board of Trustees of five members. The new
name of the new institution: Southeastern Community College. (1965/1966) Plans for a new campus
prompted the purchase of one hundred and sixty acres of land west of the Des Moines County
Fairgrounds. The campus of Callison Hall was undertaken in 1971 and occupied in the fall of 1972.
In 1968 internal unrest developed as the result of a controversy around liberal arts and
vocational/technical educational division which resulted in the replacement of Mr. Burkheimer as
Superintendent and the naming of Mr. C. W. Callison of Keokuk Campus as the new Superintendent. It
was during these trying periods of unrest that Dean Stonehocker chose to retire in 1968 and Milton
Meuler served as the Director of the Arts & Science Division--North Campus--until the move to the new
Southeastern Campus in 1972. He then assumed the position of Southeastern Community College
Instructional Services Director. Superintendent Callison was a determined educational leader who
engineered the strong development of the Southeastern Community College. It was through his
foresight that educational services were expanded in Area XVI, including educational programs at the
Iowa State Prison, Ft. Madison and the cooperative venture of the Des Moines County Fair Association
and SCC.
Following Mr. Callison's retirement in 1986, Dr. R. Gene Gardner was named President of Area XVI
Southeastern Community College. Dr. Gardner was proven to be another dedicated and strong
educational leader of Area XVI and an able leader in community services. Campus facilities at both the
West Burlington and Keokuk sites were expanded and constructed under his direction with support
from local tax payers. In 1997, Dr. Daniel J. Phelan began serving as President. By 2000, new Centers
were in place in Mt. Pleasant and Fort Madison and a three-story residence hall built on the West
Burlington Campus. In 2005, under the direction of President Jim Richardson, residence halls were
established near the Keokuk Campus and the Center for Business (CBIZ) moved from the West
Burlington Campus to the newly renovated River Park Place at 610 N. 4th in Burlington. A 20 1/4 cent
levy was passed on 9/11/2001 that provides more than $600,000 for physical facilities improvements
each year. In 2007, with direction from President Dr. Beverly Simone, SCC purchased a student
residence facility in Keokuk. As a result of the efforts of Mr. Callison, Dr. Gardner, Dr. Phelan, Mr.
Richardson, and Dr. Simone, Southeastern Community College is indeed a source of pride in Southeast
Iowa.
No history of Burlington Junior/Community College and the early years of Southeastern Community
College is complete without the proper acknowledgment of the tremendous employees (administrators,
teachers and support personnel) which the institutions have attracted. All of these individuals were
dedicated and provided quality service in their respective areas of responsibility. This is evidenced by
the numerous expression of appreciation from alumni and citizens who contribute their career
successes to their earlier educational benefits received at SCC and its predecessor institutions, BJC,
BCC, KCC, and SEICC.