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History: Continued from Page 3
were unskilled.”
In 1993, then-Mayor Mike Dumas
signed a proclamation declaring Nov. 19 “South Arkansas Community College Day.” The board of trustees also voted to operate and maintain the South Arkansas Arboretum.
Four years after the college’s incep- tion, it held a dedication ceremony to commemorate the opening of the library. On the program, Whitfield wrote that the 13,500-square foot building included private viewing rooms, a conference room, office space, a 94-seat teaching auditorium and a library space that can hold up to 40,000 books.
“It’s good for the community, it compliments Barton (Library), and is just helpful to the community,” library media director Phillip Arndt said in a News-Times report.
An architect quoted a craftsman who said, “The half of knowledge is to know how to find it.” Whitfield was inspired by this and got it placed outside the library, according to a
News-Times report. The space in the West Campus Classroom Building that housed the library was renovat- ed and converted into classrooms, office space, a nursing laboratory and storage space.
After 22 years of service in Union County, almost five years at SouthArk, Whitfield announced his retirement from the college presi- dent post in January 1997.
Trustees narrowed a presidential search from 62 candidates to six can- didates that met with board mem- bers, faculty and the community in El Dorado.
Months later, the board of trust- ees announced that Dr. Kathleen Matlock, who was the chief academ- ic officer at Blue Ridge Community College in Flatrock Ridge, North Carolina, was unanimously chosen to take Whitfield’s place.
The SouthArk Foundation, a non-profit organization, was reig- nited to develop fundraising efforts on behalf of the college after two years since the new institution was founded. The foundation’s first proj- ect was adopting the Single Parent
See HISTORY, Page 5
?
Courtesy SouthArk Library Archives and Special Collections
Computer class: An instructor teaches a computing class in 1994.
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Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas The Sentinel-Record, Saturday, Month 00, 2012 4 – Sunday, July 9, 2017 – El Dorado NEWS-TIMES
Congratulations
25 YEARS
Thank You For Your Commitment To Community Education!
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