Looking Back At The History Of Allan Hancock College
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria has been around a long time and helped educate thousands of students since first opening it doors. The community college has a unique and fascinating history that likely surprises many, especially when they learn about the school’s current location and the vital role it played, not only in Santa Maria’s history, but our country’s as well.
Today, Allan Hancock is a sprawling, modern, diverse campus, but it was much different from its opening nearly a century ago.
“We started in 1920 at the Santa Maria High School,” said Nancy Meddings, Allan Hancock College Academic Dean. “We were the junior college, we were the Santa Maria Junior College.”
During the early years, enrollment was just a tiny fraction of the 20,000 students that now attend annually.
“In 1920 I think the graduating class was had about 30 people, and they had a lot names you’ll recognize on the streets here, like Curryer and Enos,” said Meddings.
Junior college in that period resembled an extended high school, complete with dances, clubs and other fraternal activities.
“It was more of a almost apprentice-type training, the junior college movement was really new,” said Dr. Kevin Walthers, Allan Hancock College President. “The idea was to do that extra what we would call occupational training.”
While Santa Maria Junior College was still in its infancy, a few blocks east, at what is now the college campus, a much different higher education was being taught.
“Captain (Allan) Hancock ran a private school, a proprietary school here for training pilots, starting in 1937 and when World War II hit, he became a government contractor and was contracting to fly pilots for World War II, said Walthers.”
In 1929, the Hancock College of Aeronautics opened, and for more than 20 years, Hancock Field produced many of America’s top pilots and mechanics.
“During the war years, during the 40’s, they were turning cadets out about every 10 weeks, I mean they had row after row after pilots,” said Meddings.
After World War II ended, the site continued as the USC School of Aeronautics, and then eventually, the new home of the junior college.
“The college moved here in the 1950’s still using space from buildings on the airfield, they were old aeronautics buildings,” said Meddings.
With the move in 1954, the school also changed its name to honor Hancock whose immeasurable impact went far beyond the Central Coast.
“Captain Hancock sold this property to the district for a very small sum, a nominal fee, and that really became the impetus for how we ended up here,” said Walthers.
Soon after, the college began to grow both in size and scope. It’s district expanded to include all of northern Santa Barbara County, covering a staggering 3000 square miles.
A building boom took place the 1960’s, which brought the college its first buildings constructed specifically for the school, including the student center, library and science complex.
A few years later, several new buildings were added, most notably the iconic Performing Arts Center, the home of Marian Theatre and PCPA.
“We’re famous nationally for PCPA. We are the only conservatory theatre at a community college,” said Meddings.
Through the years, Hancock also developed a reputation for its excellence in many other programs.
“We’re training welders and nurses, police officers and firefighters and all of the things this community needs to be successful,” said Walthers.
Now it’s 95th year, this campus is gleaming with several new buildings and facilities, including those for Student Services, Administration, Industrial Technology, Childhood Studies, Community Education and Science. Moderns renovations included, the Performing Arts Center, library, Academic Resource Center and several sports venues.
Those extensive improvements were paid through the $180 million Measure I bond that passed in 2006.
Looking into the future, Walthers is hoping to partner with a four-year university to and bring the next level of higher education to Santa Maria.
“We’re trying to bring a university center here,” said Walthers. “So it’s not Allan Hancock necessarily offering those four-year degrees, we want the CSUs and UCs to come and offer selected degrees here on campus and we’re going to find spots for them do come here and do it because our community really needs a four-year public education alternative.”
From its humble beginnings to today, Allan Hancock College has grown significantly and continues to grow. While much has changed through the years, one constant has remained in that students who “Start Here, Go Anywhere.”
