Editorial: CC can lead city to growth

 The Way Forward, Part 4

A wise man once noted that, “It was never boom or bust in Clarendon. It was just always a struggle.” 

That tongue-in-cheek comment may sound a bit pessimistic to some, but in reality it actually reveals one of our community’s strengths, which has been a certain economic stability over the last century.

Not having been blessed with oil or gas wealth, Clarendon and Donley County hasn’t seen the wild swings of good times and bad times that some other communities have had. We have, instead, enjoyed a couple of assets that have bolstered our situation compared to other rural West Texas communities, namely Lake Greenbelt since 1968 and Clarendon College since 1898.

Barring the occurrence of a hundred-year flood, the lake’s future doesn’t look good right now, but Clarendon College remains the beacon on the hill that shines the way to progress and prosperity – both for its students and our community.

Enterprise columnist Fred Gray has taken to referring to CC as “The Pearl of the Panhandle,” but your humble editor still prefers the tried and true moniker “The Athens of the Panhandle,” reflecting its place in history as the Panhandle’s first college as well as its ongoing role of providing an education – and therefore a path to a better life – for local and area students.

Much has been said about the opportunities our dear college offers students, but we must also realize that Clarendon College is the number one economic development tool our city has. It is critical that the Board of Regents and administration recognize that they are not just caretakers of a college. In a very real sense they can have a greater impact on the future of this town than the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Corporation, or even the city council.

Consider this. Each fall, Clarendon College brings in about 300 students to live in our community for two semesters. In addition to enriching our town with cultural diversity and annual economic stimulus, this gives Clarendon an opportunity that most small cities could only dream about – prospective new citizens.

We probably all can think of someone who came to college here and either married a local person or returned here after going on to get their four-year degree. Each CC student from out of town is someone who potentially could settle down here… if they find the town to their liking and find an opportunity for employment here.

A constant influx of young people and young families is a tremendous asset to any community, particularly if those new citizens get a quality education while they are here.

The challenge for Clarendon College is growing enrollment on the home campus with an eye toward helping Clarendon and Donley County. The headcount for the last few semesters has been down after an extended period of growth. We trust that this is only a temporary reversal of fortune, and college officials are already making plans to get their numbers back up.

Plans to get CC back above total enrollment of 1,200 here and at its satellites in Pampa and Childress are great. We must look at growth everywhere, but it is also incumbent that we – alumni; taxpayers; and CC regents, administration, faculty, and staff – take a long look at what creative things can be done to boost enrollment on the home campus.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen an increased focus on athletics as the path to growth for the college, but each new sports team carries a cost of increased travel and other expenses. While we are certainly proud of our Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs, we must also focus on bringing more traditional students to College Hill. We need to expand our course offerings, particularly in the fine arts, and recruit a more diverse student body whose members are interested not only in sports, rodeo, and judging but also in music, art, drama, literature, and the sciences.

One limitation to growth is the lack of student housing, and this column has more than once called on the college to work with the city and other entities to find solutions to this. But the college could also take better advantage of the housing it does have by opening one dormitory for the summer months and offering more classes during those sessions. This would have the added benefit of keeping more students – and their economic impact – in Clarendon over the summer months, which is something that will be sorely needed if Lake Greenbelt continues to shrink.

CC also needs to develop new technical programs that are based here in Clarendon. A truck driving program or a hospitality training program might be good additions. We’ve tried offering programs – such as wind energy and nursing – in Clarendon and Pampa and then shake our heads when the program migrates to a larger population center. If a program is in demand and it is offered only in Clarendon, students will come to Clarendon. We have seen this historically, and it is still true.

More students eventually means the need for more faculty members, and that means more good paying jobs for other potential new citizens. And in all of this, we must work hard to find ways to include our students and new instructors in our community, to cater to their needs, and attract them to our merchants.

The growth of Clarendon College must be paramount as we resolve to get involved in 2013.