Highlights of Major Joseph S. Cook’s presidency (1926-1928)
Events during Major Cook’s presidency:
1926
July 22: The first catalog of Temple Junior College was released.
November: Temple Junior College held a city-wide contest in order to choose a name for the college annual. A prize of $10 was awarded to the person who suggested the winning name. Seventy-five names were submitted, and five were selected to put before the student body. Choices were: “The Templar,” “The Pioneer,” “The Prickly Pear,” “The Liberty Bell” and “The Locomotive.” The student body chose “The Templar.”
December 17: A press association was formed to advertise the college’s activities in the Temple Daily Telegram.
1927
January: The recently formed press association began publishing articles in the Temple Daily Telegram titled “The Drag-Net,” and the college also formed a scholarship society to honor academically distinguished students. On the 27th, Temple Junior College was accredited by the State of Texas Department of Education.
April 25: Temple Junior College was accredited by the Association of Texas Colleges.
May: On the 28th, college faculty held a dinner for the first graduating class of Temple Junior College. At this lunch, the graduates formed an alumni association to plan future homecomings. The college held its first baccalaureate on the 29th and first commencement on the 30th. There were 10 graduates in the first class. The first edition of “The Templar” was published.
Summer: Temple Junior College offered summer school for the first time, holding classes from 4 to 7 p.m., five days a week.
September: Temple Junior College decided to move from a two-semester year to quarters. The sophomore class began “initiating” the freshman class, referring to them as “slimes,” making the male freshmen wear green caps and female freshmen wear green ribbons. The idea of forming a separate junior college district and building a separate building for the college was proposed for the first time.
November 26: A bond election was held, which included a provision for a separate college building, but was voted down.
December 29: The alumni association formed during commencement weekend held its first homecoming banquet.
1928
May: On the 10th, Temple city commissioners voted to make Temple Junior College a part of the Temple public school system. Toward the end of the month, faculty hosted a dinner for the class of 1928, marking one of the last times all of the original faculty would be together.
June 3-4: Temple Junior College held its second baccalaureate and commencement, these were the last exercises held separately from Temple High School’s until 1946.