Chaparral 2018-2019: 27.2 College Culture

But not so much for the students of Glendale Junior College. There, they were worried about sunstroke during football practice and pep rallies, keeping their sweaty arms from making wet marks on their tests, and wishing those big windows in the only building on campus, the Administration building, could bring in more air and somehow, miraculously, make it cooler! Every morning after that long, steep climb up those stairs, students needed a rest.

There was one thing Glendale College had that made up for the lack of fall foliage and sweater-weather: the large, keyhole-shaped swimming pool! It was located across the street on the City Center property, and Glendale residents and students could use it for free.

On weekends, girls donned their rubberized bathing caps with an under-chin strap, their oversized nylon one-piece bathing suits, and jumped in.

Aside from swimming, football, the classic fall sport, has been popular at Glendale College since the Twenties. The stands were packed with fans, the crowds cheered, and the players played their best.

The first teams wore either no helmets or leather ones, but luckily there were no major injuries.

Girls were offered field hockey, bowling and archery from fall through spring.

GJC almost had a wrestling team. However, the administrators decided that the risk for injury was too great. So it was relegated to PE class instruction.

From the Fifties: A fall-time badminton match on campus!

Cheerleaders were called the Yell Squad. They yelled at pep rallies, assemblies, and the games.

The library was in the Administration building, which was the only building on campus for many years.

The weekly assemblies were held in the library or outside near where the auditorium is now. Attendance was mandatory. A few years later, the students protested the forced gatherings, and eventually, the meetings were abandoned.

This is an assembly from the Twenties when Glendale Junior College was located on Harvard Street.

But, most of all, fall means back to school—both then and now.

Education is the real purpose for Glendale Junior College now and throughout its history!

“China is the most populous country in the world.”

“Here’s the brain, kids!”

Studying African battlegrounds or meeting the coeds?

Students were offered aviation, auto mechanics, and shop.

Woodworking class.

Studying can be cozy. Don’t you love these two?