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Big Spring Herald - Education - SWCID
Considering the school began with a converted military hospital and not much else, it’s fair to say SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf has come a long way in three decades.
Current and former students and staff, as well as a long list of well-wishers were present on campus this past weekend as SWCID celebrated its 30th reunion.
While fun and games were also on the reunion agenda, the event mainly gave people a chance to reflect on just how far SWCID, the only self-contained community college for the deaf and hard of hearing the United States, has come since its first class enrolled in 1980.
The Howard County Junior College District created SWCID in 1979 and the first class, which consisted of about 25 students, attended classes for the first time early the next year.
Danny Campbell, who has been an instructor at the campus since the school’s inception, said SWCID’s first executive director, Dr. Douglas Burke, had a grand vision for the school despite its humble beginnings.
“When I first came here, there was just one building, the old (Webb AFB) hospital — and you could tell it was a hospital,” Campbell said through an interpreter. “But Doug didn’t see maternity wards or surgical suits or patient rooms, he saw classrooms and offices and a library and a cafeteria. I remember how excited Doug was when we went through that building for the first time.”
Campbell said the rest of the campus was mostly “groundhogs and dry, ugly land” at the time, and student dormitories were converted World War II-era barracks that some parents would not allow their children to live in, but Dr. Burke envisioned other buildings, such as a diagnostic center, student union building and other structures, which have become a reality in recent years.
Dr. Burke’s wife, Beatrice, was an instructor that first year and said her husband’s enthusiasm and vision for the school helped her overcome some initial misgivings.
“At first, I wondered if my husband knew what we were getting into,” Mrs. Burke said through an interpreter. “Honestly, I had some some doubts, although I never told him about them.”
Howard College President Dr. Cheryl Sparks, who was HC dean of students at the time of the first classes at SWCID, said the school’s humble beginnings were unavoidable.
“We knew we’d have to make do with the facilities we had at the time,” she said. “And adjusting those facilities to the needs of deaf students was a unique experience, to say the least.”
Over the years, however, the college has grown, in both student count and buildings, as well as services provided.
Aside from modern dormitories and activity center, the school recently unveiled a 5,000-square-foot career technology center. And student enrollment is currently on the high side of 120, Sparks said.
“And we’re not finished,” she said. “We have the buildings, faculty, staff and tradition in place. Now, we just need to get the greater world to embrace what has happened here.”
While the major thrust of the reunion was to look back, Dr. Mark Myers, SWCID’s current provost, said the institution also is looking forward to the future.
“SWCID is the only community college in the nation to provide full instructional services to the deaf and hard of hearing. It is unique,” Myers said through an interpreter. “We will continue Dr. Burke’s vision and legacy and my vision for the future includes improvements in educational opportunities, such as building support for distance learning classes … Big Spring is a small town and we realize it is difficult for most people to get here, so we need to be creative in reaching out to them.”
Mrs. Burke said her husband, who died in 1988, would approve of the school’s progress and future direction.
“I think he would be very satisfied and pleased and I think he would be a bit overwhelmed,” she said. “I’m amazed how SWCID could come from a dream that many people thought would not be possible. We planted an oak tree that has grown, and its roots are spreading.”
Considering the school began with a converted military hospital and not much else, it’s fair to say SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf has come a long way in three decades.
Current and former students and staff, as well as a long list of well-wishers were present on campus this past weekend as SWCID celebrated its 30th reunion.
While fun and games were also on the reunion agenda, the event mainly gave people a chance to reflect on just how far SWCID, the only self-contained community college for the deaf and hard of hearing the United States, has come since its first class enrolled in 1980.
The Howard County Junior College District created SWCID in 1979 and the first class, which consisted of about 25 students, attended classes for the first time early the next year.
Danny Campbell, who has been an instructor at the campus since the school’s inception, said SWCID’s first executive director, Dr. Douglas Burke, had a grand vision for the school despite its humble beginnings.
“When I first came here, there was just one building, the old (Webb AFB) hospital — and you could tell it was a hospital,” Campbell said through an interpreter. “But Doug didn’t see maternity wards or surgical suits or patient rooms, he saw classrooms and offices and a library and a cafeteria. I remember how excited Doug was when we went through that building for the first time.”
Campbell said the rest of the campus was mostly “groundhogs and dry, ugly land” at the time, and student dormitories were converted World War II-era barracks that some parents would not allow their children to live in, but Dr. Burke envisioned other buildings, such as a diagnostic center, student union building and other structures, which have become a reality in recent years.
Dr. Burke’s wife, Beatrice, was an instructor that first year and said her husband’s enthusiasm and vision for the school helped her overcome some initial misgivings.
“At first, I wondered if my husband knew what we were getting into,” Mrs. Burke said through an interpreter. “Honestly, I had some some doubts, although I never told him about them.”
Howard College President Dr. Cheryl Sparks, who was HC dean of students at the time of the first classes at SWCID, said the school’s humble beginnings were unavoidable.
“We knew we’d have to make do with the facilities we had at the time,” she said. “And adjusting those facilities to the needs of deaf students was a unique experience, to say the least.”
Over the years, however, the college has grown, in both student count and buildings, as well as services provided.
Aside from modern dormitories and activity center, the school recently unveiled a 5,000-square-foot career technology center. And student enrollment is currently on the high side of 120, Sparks said.
“And we’re not finished,” she said. “We have the buildings, faculty, staff and tradition in place. Now, we just need to get the greater world to embrace what has happened here.”
While the major thrust of the reunion was to look back, Dr. Mark Myers, SWCID’s current provost, said the institution also is looking forward to the future.
“SWCID is the only community college in the nation to provide full instructional services to the deaf and hard of hearing. It is unique,” Myers said through an interpreter. “We will continue Dr. Burke’s vision and legacy and my vision for the future includes improvements in educational opportunities, such as building support for distance learning classes … Big Spring is a small town and we realize it is difficult for most people to get here, so we need to be creative in reaching out to them.”
Mrs. Burke said her husband, who died in 1988, would approve of the school’s progress and future direction.
“I think he would be very satisfied and pleased and I think he would be a bit overwhelmed,” she said. “I’m amazed how SWCID could come from a dream that many people thought would not be possible. We planted an oak tree that has grown, and its roots are spreading.”