1972-1977

ECJC 1977: Cllange DECATUR - The word at ECJC is change. Everywhere there is change. from one end of the campus to the other .

Burton Library, was first occupied in the spring of 1977. This modern, spacious facility contains space for 50,000 volumes plus housing for non-book materials, such as tape recorders. films, typewriters. adding, machines. and other tools. In additi1 in, this new library offers group-study room, a leisure reading area, and individual study carrels. with a total seating capacity of 250. A faculty reading room, special collections room, and a conference room are also provided. The old library is being remodeled into admin istrative offices and should be complete by mid-year. Off-campus centers now operate in Forest. Carthage. Louisville, Philadelphia. and at the Choctaw Indian reservation at Pearl River. Manpower and CETA programs are offered at the Carthage and Louisville. Centers and the college has in-plant training programs and start-up programs in relation to the area's industries . Adult education and individual improvement courses also have been added. Flower arranging, cake decorating. and mini mechanics are a few of the individual improvements classes now offered at ECJC. East Central continues to be a growing part of the five-county district. As more and more people realize the benefits derived from a college education, ECJC promises to play an even more vital role in the future of this area .

constructed during the past ten ye ar, augmenti ng ECJC's other athletic facilities . The new st .adium has helped upgrade East Central's sports programs. A resodding job was done at the stadium site last year and this year's improvements on the stadium include the ccinstruction of two dressing ro·oms and the enlargement of th1 ~ press boxes. Other parts of the campus ha ve seen progress and change . New academic and department bti.lildings became a part of a gr owing ECJC. A new Fine Arts building was biuilt on the site of an old rr laintenance building. The fine ar ts complex houses the art dn ~partment, band hall, class n >0ms , and a completely modern air-conditioned a 111ditorium where plays and nmsicals have been presented. A new vocational-technical c11 ~nter was built during the past d1 ~cade and houses a range of t i:~n diverse vocational p rograms , along with the business department, technical p1rograms. and an array of vocational-technical avenues of study offered in night classes . A classroom and modern laboratory were added to the science building affording the sdence department needed f,1pace and facilities. The ultra-modern classroom building ; Newton Hall houses the home economics cl!epartmel'lt, speech department e:imd a~itional academic departments . The two-story ~; tructure was opened in 1976.

East Central Junior College. it seems has finally come of age and ranks among the best junior colleges in the state. Ten years ago the college consisted of a spread of buildings along main street and the front of the present campus. Since that time. the older structures have given way to ultra-modern structures rivaling any in Mississippi's public junior college system. Old Neshoba Hall and old Scott Hall were replaced by two modern dormitories for men located at the northwest end of the campus . Complete air-conditioning of Newsome. Jackson, and Todd Halls has also been accomplished. The 'north end of the campus h a s seen additional development during the past ten years. In addition to the new men's dorms , an Agricul t ura I -Tee hnology Building was built in the area and a new street was added to connect -the northern addition to the rest of the campus . A new gymnasium-physical education complex was also constructed on the north end, and the old gym was converted to a full-time student activities and recreational center. The center is staffed by a student activities director and assistant director. A new football stadium was

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