Dr. Thurman Brock was a part of Craven Community College's story from the very beginning. His first day on the job was Aug. 15, 1961 as the inaugural Director of Vocational Education for Craven County Schools. He went on to become the College's first president, serving April 23, 1968–December 31, 1989.
To help preserve his institutional knowledge from those early years, Dr. Brock wrote an 18-part history of the College in 1984-85 for the school newspaper, "The Panther."
The academic year 1972-73 was to be the last year for this Institute to operate under the name Craven Technical Institute. It was also the last year or Governor Robert Scott, who was to be succeeded by Governor James Holshouser in January 1973.
On May 11,1972, a delegation of trustees for Craven Technical Institute and others from Craven County appeared before the State Board of Education to officially request its approval for community college status.
Mr. R. L. Pugh, retired Superintendent of Craven County Schools, was spokesman for the group. Those who remember the late Mr. Pugh are well aware of his great talent as a public speaker. He was given a round of applause by the State Board members following his eloquent presentation. The request was unanimously approved by the Board.
There was tremendous local support for making Craven Technical Institute a community college. “Request for Community College Status” included letters of endorsement from East Carolina University; the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point; John R. Taylor Insurance Agency; Branch’s of New Bern, Craven County Mental Health Association; Hardison Printing Company; New Bern City Schools; Craven County Schools; Weyerhaeuser Company; First Citizen Bank and Trust Co; Jay Apparel Company; WCTI-TV; Greater Havelock Chamber of Commerce; Clark Boat Company; New Bern Women’s Club; Aubrey Johnson Chevrolet; General Wholesale Building Supply Company Stanley Tools; First federal Savings and loan; New Bern Shipyards Inc, Tryon Palace; Belk; Craven County Hospital; Pepsi Cola; Craven County Board of Commissioners; Maola Milk an Ice Cream Company; Craven Foundry and Machine Company; Seashore Transportation Company; H & N Chevrolet, Havelock; T.P. Ashord Oil Company; The Pilot Club of New Bern; and the Craven County Fire Chiefs Association.
The above is a representative list of supporters that I thought you would enjoy reading. Those of you who have lived in Craven County as long as I have will note that Aubrey Johnson Chevrolet is now Tryon Chevrolet, Clark Boat is now Bayliner Marine Corporation, Stanley Tools is now Robert Bosch, and Raleigh Federal Savings and Loan succeeded first Federal Savings and Loan.
The 1973 Session of the General Assembly approved the State Board of Education’s request on our behalf, and on July 1, 1973, Craven Community College became a reality. However, the final official was on July 17,1973, when the College Board of Trustees approved the name from Craven Technical Institute to Craven Community College.
A number of faculty members joined the College with the beginning of Fall Quarter 1973-74. Mr. Robert Bennett, English Instructor was approved by the Board, as well as part-time instructors Mrs. Kitty Pierre, cosmetology, and Mr. Edward Sanders, welding.
Fall Quarter enrollment for 1973 was 676 students compared to 382 for the Fall Quarter of 1972. There were 182 students in college transfers, 212 in technical programs, 172 in vocational-trade programs, and 110 special students. For an update comparison, we had 2,362 students fall 1989. Of that number, 634 were enrolled in college transfer, 154 in general education, 642 in technical programs, 256 in vocational-trade, and 676 were special (no declared major) students. I thought you would enjoy the comparison of enrollment between our first year as a community college and our current academic year.
During 1972-74, our campus consisted of what is now building “B” and a portion of building “C.” Building “C” contained the student lounge area, welding shop, machine shop, and one classroom. In April 1973, plans were being made to complete building “C” as it stands today. Mr. Jerry Prescott, former Dean of Industrial Technologies, was chairman of a committee off college employees to write the specifications for this building addition.
On March 19, 1974, the Board of Trustees awarded contracts for a total of $842,002 to complete building “C”. In order to award bids for this project, the college requested and received an appropriation in the amount of $84,502 from the County Commissioners.
The College was then in its ninth year of operation and with new facilities, additional construction and a new name, the enrollment was beginning to increase. To attract the attention of students who had previously commuted to other area community colleges that were older and further developed than Craven Community College. The future was looking brighter.