The Vision of the Public Junior College, 1900-1940 : Professional Goals and Popular Aspirations

Public junior colleges grew rapidly between 1900 and 1940. During that time, a group of nationally prominent leaders argued that the junior college should provide a terminal education and preparation for semiprofessional careers. Frye argues that this national vision of the junior college was frustrated by the goals and aspirations of the students, who saw the junior college as a point of access to higher social status through further education. Drawing on a range of sources, Frye demonstrates the impact of changing social values and demographic patterns on the evolution of the junior college during this period.