Commemorative Construction Plaques Unveiled
for Original Randolph Community College Facility

ASHEBORO (August 26, 2008)

RCC president Bob Shackleford (right) addresses distinguished guests and family members who attended the RCC Administration/Education Center Plaque Dedication and Reception on Aug. 20. The construction plaques list the Board of Trustee members, RIEC directors, president, architects, contractors, and dates of construction for the original building and the 1968 addition.

A historic event occurred on Aug. 20 when Randolph Community College officials unveiled two commemorative construction plaques for the College's original building (Randolph Industrial Education Center) and a later addition after RIEC changed to Randolph Technical Institute. Over 60 distinguished guests attended the ceremony, including Al G. Farkas, RIEC's first director from 1960-1961; Lacy Presnell Jr., a member of the Joint City-County Committee and superintendent of Randolph County Schools from 1961-1969; and D. Sidney Underwood, one of the original Board of Trustee members, who served from 1963-1973.

Earlier this year, Clark Adams, co-chair of the RCC Archives Committee, noticed that the Administration/Education Center did not have construction plaques as the other buildings on campus have. "As I was researching through old Board of Trustee minutes, I discovered there was discussion of purchasing two plaques in 1969," said Adams. However, no further action was taken to purchase the plaques. Adams and Archives Committee Co-Chair Debbie Luck approached Dr. Bob Shackleford, RCC president, about obtaining the plaques and the process was quickly completed.

The construction plaques list the Board of Trustees members at the time of construction, the RIEC directors, president, architects, contractors, and dates of construction. The plaque for the Randolph Industrial Education Center (constructed 1961-1962) will be placed near the east entrance to the building, which was the original main entrance, and the plaque for the Randolph Technical Institute (addition constructed 1967-1968) will be placed near the current main entrance on the west side of the building.

After visiting the campus and hearing Dr. Shackleford talk to the group about past growth and future plans for the college, Sidney Underwood remarked, "We thought we were growing then, but look at it now." He noted it had been 35 years since he served on the Board.

Also attending the Aug. 20 ceremony were Elizabeth Provancha, daughter of first Board of Trustee Chairman J. W. Plummer; David Hughes, son of Board Member C. Ed Hughes, who was chairman from 1968-1973; Patricia Skeen, daughter of Board Member C. Ed Hughes; Anna Talley, daughter of Board Member Robert H. Allred; Rebecca Wall, daughter of Board Member Alton P. Wall; John Croft and Joan Croft Simons, son and daughter of J. J. Croft Jr., architect for the original building; Joe Trogdon, son of S. E. Trogdon, general contractor of the original building; Martha Johnson, daughter of Board Member Ivey B. Luck; Mary Albright West, daughter of R. Lynn Albright, member of Joint City-County Committee and original Board of Trustee member; Sarah Edmondson, wife of Dr. Frank Edmondson, member of Joint City-County Committee; Milton and Donald Redding, sons of W. Frank Redding Jr., member of the Joint City-County Committee; additional family members, current Board of Trustee members and Board Emeritus members, and other guests.

Board of Trustees Chair Jim Campbell welcomed the group and noted, "We are very proud of what RCC has become today, but we realize how profoundly indebted we are to the founders and those who came before us."

More photos: