CNC’S EARLY HISTORY SUBJECT OF LIBRARY TALK

To gear up for Heritage Week, Fred Speckeen will give a talk about CNC during its first decade.

Speckeen was the founding principal at the college from 1970 to 1978. He'll talk about the challenges of opening and growing the college. The free event will be held Thursday on the second floor of the main branch of the Prince George

Public Library from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Speckeen came to the college after its first year of operation, which was 1969.

Getting a college in Prince George was a movement supported by the local school boards, as that was what the government wanted, Speckeen said.

"The support meant the boards would provide funding for the college," he said. "So that was very controversial in terms of getting support to open the college."

It took cooperation from Prince George, Vanderhoof, McBride, Smithers, Burns Lake and Quesnel, Speckeen said. But when it came time to vote for approval, Quesnel initially voted no because they wanted the college in their city and then Quesnel gave approval when it came down to a referendum, Speckeen said. The boards provided operating costs, while the referendum took place for capital dollars, he added.

Two or three years later, the government did come through with capital funding. The next adventure was to amalgamate the government-run vocational school established in 1962 with the fledgling college.

"My challenge was to meld the two that was the government's term - with no game plan," Speckeen said. "So faculty and staff at both institutions were wondering what was going to happen."