History of BCC

Berkshire Eagle, Thursday, Sept. 15, 1960 - "The world’s youngest college got under way under sunny skies, a far cry from Monday’s touch of Donna. The ceremonies, originally scheduled for Monday afternoon, had been postponed when Donna washed out all normal activities including education."

But not even a hurricane (Donna) could stop the doors of Berkshire Community College at the Pittsfield High School building on First Street, from opening...well...for no more than three days anyway! BCC, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2000, was the first of its kind in Massachusetts and made instant headlines. The afternoon Eagle announced: Governor Breaks Down At Jr. College Opening. The story reads, "When called upon Governor Foster Furcolo advanced to the lectern. He stood there a few moments, his face working with emotion, then spread his hands and sat down, unable to speak. Tears glistened in his eyes. The audience rose and gave him an ovation." Furcolo was "moved to tears at the realization of his dream of establishment of the first of Massachusetts’ state regional community colleges, and was unable to give his prepared speech at the convocation ceremonies."

And that was just the local attention...national media also followed the story. LIFE magazine attended the opening day’s celebrations with a reporter-photographer crew. How happy then Director, and soon to be first president, of BCC Tom O’Connell must have been when he opened pages 98 and 99 of the October 3, 1960 issue where lo and behold there appeared a two-page spread, including a full page picture of the inaugural class and the two reprinted here, with original captions.

The typical student back in 1960 was male and just out of high school. 25% were female, and about 30% were out of high school from one to ten years. About ten students came from outside Berkshire County. 160 students were accepted from 225 applications, and the opening class consisted of 150. Two women, Marianne Collins and Dorothy Garneau graduated one year later in a ceremony held at the college library and so the story began. Current BCC statistics show that for Fall 1999 there were 1,305 applications, 1,234 accepted and 895 enrolled. The total college enrollment for 1999-2000 is 2,400. Currently, 58% of the students are female, 53% are of age 23 or older, and 95% come from Berkshire County. Last year, the commencement ceremony was held at Tanglewood with approximately 309 graduates receiving 312 awards.

From LIFE magazine,
October 3, 1960
For the safety valve, which will ease the overwhelming student pressure, educators look to new colleges - at least 175 born in the past decade - and especially to two-year colleges beginning to flourish everywhere. Already 690 of them are taking almost a million young people who cannot, academically or financially, swing a four-year institution.

At least 25 publicly supported community colleges, like Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, Mass., started up this year. Berkshire, which expects to double in size next year, is beginning with 150 students in a former high school it temporarily shares with a horde of seventh graders. The teachers are largely part-timers, such as local General Electric engineers. For many students two years will be enough, and others, especially below-average scholars, will have a chance to prove themselves and transfer to a four-year institution.

State universities help by spawning local branches, which often expand by 1,000% in a few years. At this rate, by 1970 half the nation’s youth will get at least one year of college.