The Spovangelist

There is a lot of excitement over the new University District, but like a lot of things in this town it is kind of a kludge.  As great as it would be there is no going back to create a longstanding Spokane State. Imagine what this place would be like if we could magically squeeze Pullman into Spokane, or even drag Cheney that much closer in. Which would you prefer to live in, Spullman or Spochane? Whatever the ultimate cause, Spokane’s dearth of a public university wasn’t for a lack of effort.

Spokane College

The first non-native settlers pitched their tents in 1871, and barely twenty years later the bustling town of 1,500 felt that Spokane was permanent enough to warrant an institute of higher education. The first such school was Spokane College, founded by Civil War veteran and lawyer Colonel David P. Jenkins. After a donation of land on the north bank of the river and working with Methodist ministers in the area, Spokane College opened its doors on September 19, 1883 in what was then still the Oregon Territory.
Tuition was a staggering $15.

Photo from the Spokesman-Review, Thursday, April 24, 1969.

Death by Encroachment

The school grew slowly, gaining a maximum of 200 students by 1890, but by this point, new competition had risen. Gonzaga University, a Jesuit school, had begun admitting students three years prior in 1887.

The Morrill Act, a federal bill signed into law by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, had created a land grant university in Pullman that opened in 1890. This would become Washington State University, and it siphoned more potential students away from Spokane College.

A school to train teachers was founded in Cheney in 1882, eventually becoming a public school in 1937. This school, named State Normal School, was renamed Eastern Washington College of Education. By the fall of 1891 enrollment at Spokane College had shrunk to 60.The nascent Spokane College closed its doors in May of 1892. Too bad, so sad.

Norwegians to the Rescue

In 1906 a new school bearing the same name was founded by the Norwegian Lutheran Church, and built a building on the east side of Grand Avenue between 29th and 31st. The School severed ties with the church in 1908 and operated until 1929. After being vacant for a few years it was turned into Spokane Junior College in 1935. That too ceased operation in 1942, and was finally absorbed by Whitworth.

While Gonzaga and Whitworth thrived, the state of local public education remained barren until 1963 when the Spokane Community College was finally established. The Spokane Falls campus followed four years later in 1967. It was not until 1977 that Eastern was accredited to award four year degrees and the possibility of getting a complete local undergraduate public education became impossible.

In spite of this glaring historical absence, there is now hope that expanding medical programs on the Riverpoint Campus will further make up for lost ground. I read that Seattle has one of the highest concentrations of people with four year degrees in the country, with one in four residents having obtained a bachelors degree or higher. In Spokane County we are still lagging behind the state average of around one in five earning a four year degree.

Don’t get me wrong, the University District is a huge boon to this city and is a good start. But I think an independent research institution and facility headed up by one office rather than three would be better. Currently our U-District has all the charm and culture of a parking lot. I would love a large group of undergraduates in the area, so that things like hip bars and used clothing stores and coffee shops are more viable. Go fightin’ Marmots!

Tags:   Competition · Nostalgia · Spokane Pride · Weird But True4 Comments