A pause for history from me!

So one of the classes I am taking is Political Science 355, which is included in the "I am transferring in, but Im not good enough to study my major completely yet, since I'm new to the school" list. So far there has been a lot of knowledge poured in to my brain for this class, which is good, because better to be a little over whelmed and learning than bored and brainless. But for this class I had a peculiar first assignment, I was to do a paper on the history of California State University Northridge because of it's 50th anniversary this year!

Luckily my prof. had a link for us to a site about the school's history.

Before I start I must share, I love History for the same reason I love Science and Philosophy, I love knowledge, and I feel that if you understand something, not only do you understand it, but also your perception of the world around you grows. I now have an expanded appreciation for my new school, and am interested in learning more about my School's history. BUT just to share with you... here's my paper, about the history of CSUN.

____________________________________________________________________

Tyler Wiest

CSUN 50 year history.

Like many state colleges, CSUN used to be farmland, CSUN used to specifically be groves of orange, avocado, and lemon trees. In the early 1950s state officials had identified the Baldwin Hills as the site of a new satellite campus for a four year school called LA state college. As a response San Fernando Valley community leaders and residences organized to overturn the legislation and ensure that a four year college would be built in the valley. On December 21^st 1954, advocates for this “state school” In the valley idea hosted a dinner for 23 legislators at the Brown Derby on Wilshire Blvd. There they pitched the plan, and it worked. In 1955 the state assemblyman Julian Beck sent the legislation for approval.

Originally, the plan for CSUN was to be a community college, primarily a training school for teachers. The official ground breaking ceremony for the San Fernando Valley campus was on Jan 4^th, 1956. The president of the LA state college Howard Mcdonald, California Govenor Goodwin Knight, and California superintendent of public Instruction Roy Simpson presided. The 165-acre campus was purchased for only 6,000.

In 1958 today’s CSUN turned from LA state college in to San Fernando Valley State College. The first major construction project was the South Library, which was completed in 1956. Soon after in 1963, the Sierra Tower, and complex was completed. For the next 34 years Northridge would continue to expand rapidly. Noted structures rose every where like the the current landmark of the CSUN campus, the Oviatt Library, which was completed in 1974. The campus expended until it’s brink in 1989, so much so, the near by horse racing track Devonshire Downs was incorporated in to the school as their track. The campus was greatly affected in 1994, due to the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that epic entered in Reseda, an area quite close to Northridge. Many buildings on campus were affected; the Oviatt Library remained closed for 6 years for repairs.

CSU Northridge has had a long history of student life. “The Daily Sundial” the school’s news paper had it’s first issue in 1957. In 1967 the first dormitory on campus Northridge hall opened. Aside from those noted campus life mile stones other major mile stones were forced by advocates in CSUN’s history. Through out the 60s and early 70s there were a lot of student movements for racial equality, and education of the realities of Vietnam. Most noted in 1969, 275 students were arrested for having an illegal open forum on campus, and then in 1971 a group of African American students from the student Union seized the 6^th floor and forced the school in to making a reform to end perceived racism in the school system.

School athletics began in 1957, with swimming and water polo, and by the 1980s CSUN had hosted over 20 sports. In 1988, CSUN decided announced it’s movement in to division one sports, with the acceptation of foot ball, which remained in division two. Included I CSUN’s sport history is a Basketball team with a strong reputation, a successful base ball and softball team with a few championship victories, a dynasty of a decade for CSUN’s gymnastics, and a recent few years of a tough to beat and winning foot ball team.

CSU Northridge continues make the world double take at the impact it has been making on the world around it. In 1972, CSUN established the NCOD, a program for deaf students. Making CSUN the first post secondary program in the nation to provide interpreters for deaf students. CSUN has also been globally involved, since the 1970s Northridge has had a relationship with China, and since then many other countries, so many so CSUN has become a noted convocation point for many political leaders internationally. In CSU Northridge’s history the school has developed a reputation for science, business, the arts, journalism, cinema and televsion. Just next semester, Northridge will complete their new performing art’s center adding to the ascetic appeal of their campus and the already well developed theater art programs. And with in the next few years, a new student fitness center will be completed, including a rock wall and an indoor track, adding to the school’s already noted reputation for good student life on campus. A happy 50 year anniversary to CSUN from me!