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Show THE SAN JUAN RECORD Wednesday Novembers, 1997 - Page 4 by Terri Winder On October 29, the College of Eastern Utah Sam Juan Campus held a 20th anniversary celebration. impression that there would be a town established there, and saw in vision the exact place on which it should be built.m Driven by this vision, Lyman returned to the mesa Church appropriated $500 demonstrations, lectures on the history of the Navajo, poetry and essay readings, Native American entertainment, and a panel discussion on the genesis and history of the college. At 20 years, the fledgling campus has grown from aspirations to reality, and is with a crude surveying device, intent on surveying land, forging roads, and constructing a ditch to ac- President George Albert Festivities included an opening ceremony, art cess the canyon-locke- d wa- ter. Cowboys who ranged the adjoining Blue Mountain scoffed at his efforts. When work on the project sub locals and contributed money, labor, and materials to construct a building. When completed, Oita" -the Navajo word for school -was visited by LDS Church Smith, and Elders Spencer W. Kimball and Matthew Cowley. The school operated for five years before the children were integrated into county schools. A retired State Representative and LDS Stake President, Walter Lyman died in 1943, but his vision lived on, known to those who feel its pull as the Spirit of San Juan". Slowly the dream unfolded and blossomed. Just g water reas sources were gradually delife-givin- veloped, ed- life-enhanci- ng Cleat Bradford stands beside one of the newly erected entrance signs to the college. As Executive Director of Utah Navajo Council in the late 60's, Bradford was in a position to orchestrate events that eventually led to the establishment of the San Juan Center. Currently the Director of the San Juan Foundation, Bradford has been involved in higher education for San Juan County for more than 28 years. ucational opportunities were carefully cultivated. Both were treasured in the little community that struggled against drought and isolation. As the community grew, so did its thirst for more education. In the 1960s it was concern for the Navajo that initiated Lectures by faculty members Brian Stubbs, Garth Wilson, and Bob McPherson; art demonstrations and an exhibit under the direction of Ruthellen Pollan; and poetry readings and essays under the auspices of Merry Adams provided wonderful enrichment sessions during the anniversary celebration. Tom Austin, former Blanding Police Chief and graduate of CEU-SJtraveled from Santaquin to present a humorous essay. Blanding City police force turned out in force to support him and renew friendships. As their cars and uniforms converged on the campus, alarming some of the participants, it held all the makings of another humorous story. C, post-seconda- ry classes. The Navajo reservation had great need for educators and health care professionals and ideally the people - the Din6 - could help meet their own needs. They had desire and ability, but not the opportunity. With the Utah Navajo De- Artist Fred Sakizzie was commissioned to paint a commemorative piece of the construction of the Science Building, the first velopment Council leading structure built on campus. Fred earned an associate degree from the way, and considerable CEU-SJin 1992. assistance from other entities, college level courses were offered from a Blanding base. Classes designed for a Licensed Practical Nurse degree were offered first, initially taught in the living room of a local home. By 1976 things progressed to a point where the San Juan Community College C literally a dream come true. sided, the cowboys may have The celebration designated thought it had been abana touchstone point of recogdoned. It was neither abanand the past nizing turning doned or forgotten, only idealistically to the future. suspended. For many, the conception of As Lyman often spoke of Board was Advisory exthe college took place the town he had envisioned, with the College of formed, he declared it would never actly 100 years ago... As Walter C. be an industrial center. He Eastern Utah acting as an independent agent coordLyman sat on the seat of the foresaw a city diwhose main purpose was to inating programs. Upper buckboard, he intently studvision classes were adopted ied the land around him. be an educational and culThe wagon squeaked as the tural center, especially for from any institution willing to offer them, including horses shifted, restlessly Native Indians. He mainYoung Univerthe hard tained that anyone coming Brigham pawing the sity, University of Utah, ground. A to Blanding for the sole purUtah State University, WeSeptember sun cast shadows pose of gaining wealth under the pinion trees, would be disappointed and ber State University, and Southern Utah University. stunted in their growth by move away. The first full year of lack of water. Walter Lymans nephew, classes from the College of Lyman was atop White Albert R. Lyman, was the Eastern Utah - San Juan Mesa, a high desert mesa in first to bring his young famthe middle of San Juan ily to the mesa, on April 2, Center were offered in 1977. The first full time employee County. The Utes referred 1905. He pitched his tent on Dean of Instruction - was to it as Thick Cedars ; the what has become the center of present day Blanding. hired the next year, as was Navajos poetically refere faculty enced it as Amidst the The extent of his belief in the first member. Now are 53 there Sagebrush . The closest his uncle's vision is manie employees. source of water ran in adfest by his efforts to bring From the beginning it was joining canyons; scarce education to the area. deemed imperative that the and unreliable. In 1944 he and his wife, As Lyman examined the Gladys, resolved to get the college reach out to potential students in their home mesa, he had a remarkable opportunity of schooling for He later the Indian children around communities. The pioneerexperience. recorded: "I was given the Blanding." The LDS (continued on page 5) fair-size- d sage-gnarle- d full-tim- full-tim- Gail Glover, (on left) Dean of Administration and Student Services: It is the people at the grassroots level who have made the an Juan Campus what it is today. Dynamic, determined individ-u- a s ave given dedicated service and have made considerable personal sacrifices to ensure that educational opportunities would always be available to the residents of the Four Comers Sn:c:Gra!!.Sawyer I Jones Colle9e of Eastern Utah that feel and see here (speaks) of a group of we have fople saying and will continue to have an educational site that will be vital, a that sees Presi-verythi- place students achieve." ng |