Amarillo College Is Turning 90
Amarillo College has kicked off a year long celebration of their 90th anniversary. The school opened its doors downtown on Lincoln Street back in 1929 with just 86 students. Before the college opened, Amarillo was the largest city in Texas without a public college. The college moved to its present day main campus in 1937 and opened what is know today as Ordway Hall.
During the 1940s, AC had a Defense School and other classes that trained students to assist in the wartime efforts of World War II. In 1951, Amarillo College was one of the first three public Texas colleges to have racially integrated classes. Later in 1953, AC celebrated its first African American graduate. The school also boasted several years of strong sports teams. The Amarillo College Men's Basketball team in 1970 was ranked 9th in the nation in pre-season rankings and spent a good part of the season in the top ten among junior colleges in the nation. AC also had a men's and women's tennis team as well as a men's golf team in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1971 the AC golf team finished sixth in conference action.
From the starting class of just 86 down on Lincoln Street, the school has grown to a student body of nearly 10,000 across 6 campuses in the Texas panhandle. Look for anniversary events to be held throughout the upcoming year to help commemorate this historic anniversary.