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The Newhall Land & Farming Co., from whom the land that The challenges facing the young district were formidable. Even with the
would become College of the Canyons was later purchased, pre- key people in place, the college still existed in concept only. There was noth-
sented the fledgling college with a $140,000 gift. A chief execu- ing yet tangible and very little money. By May 1969 the college’s first cata-
tive of the company said the principal reason for the gift was log was ready to go – minus an important detail. “There was no cover
“because Dr. Rockwell was there.” because the college didn’t have a name,” Mouck recalled years later. That
Rockwell, Mouck and the trustees soon began the crucial task issue would soon be resolved.
of finding the people who would give life and character to the new Mouck was in his office one day in early 1969, examining topographic
college. First to be built was an administrative staff, composed of maps of the Santa Clarita Valley, when he noticed the large number of
Charles Rheinschmidt, assistant superintendent-student personnel; canyons. “I counted over 50. So I yelled out, ‘How about College of the
Carl McConnell, dean of admissions and records, and Joleen Canyons?’ ” There already was a
Block, director of library services. College of the Desert and a
Rockwell often boasted that he had personally “hand-picked” College of the Redwoods, so
the college’s instructors. But they first had to get past Mouck, who College of the Canyons made
interviewed every one of them. During the months leading up to sense, he reasoned. On May 15,
opening day in the fall of 1969, he and fellow administrators 1969, the Board of Trustees
turned their attention to hiring the first faculty. They sifted through agreed. “College of the Canyons”
the resumes of some 4,000 applicants. Thirty-one would be cho- won out over several other sugges-
sen. tions that included Santa Clarita
Recruited were William Baker, communications; James College and Valencia College.
Boykin, biological sciences; Louis Brown, police science; Steven College of the The rationale behind the selection of the cougar as official mascot was
Gary Mouck, who worked
Cerra, history; Theodore Collier, political science and history; with Superintendent- Canyons opened far less complicated. “I came up with ’cougar’ because I like cougars,”
Robert Downs, music; Alice Freeman (Betty Spilker), English; President Rockwell at in a bungalow at Mouck said matter-of-factly.
Santa Barbara City Hart High School
Kurt Freeman, psychology; George Guernsey, technology; (above) on Sept. Attention soon turned to the reason Mouck was examining topographic
College, followed his
Mildred Guernsey, mathematics; Ann Heidt, art and English; mentor to College of the 22, 1969. Hours maps in the first place. The college needed a permanent home. Although
Canyons. He was in were limited
Donald Heidt, English; Donald Hellrigel, foreign language; Elfi because classes much vacant land existed in 1969, a significant portion of it was owned by
charge of the fledgling
Hummel, foreign language and drama; Leonard Herendeen, police college’s day-to-day started in the late one company, Newhall Land. The college identified some 45 possible prop-
science; Iris Ingham, art; Jack Israel, physical education; Edward operations. afternoon, after erties on which to build, including land that Newhall Land and Sea World
high school stu-
Jacoby, physical education; Jan Keller, librarian; Thomas dents had left the planned to transform into a major theme park. That place would open on
Lawrence Jr., physics; Clifford Layton, business and mathematics; campus. May 29, 1971 as Magic Mountain and quickly become a regional landmark,
Betty Lid, English; J.J. O’Brien, police science; George Pederson, but only after Newhall Land made college leaders an offer they couldn’t
police science; Lynora Saunders, physical education; Lee Smelser, refuse.
physical education; Dale Smith, sociology and anthropology; Not wanting its land acquired through eminent-domain proceedings,
Gretchen Thomson, history; Gary Valentine, chemistry and biolo- Newhall Land made the college district a generous offer. The company
gy; Frances Wakefield, counseling, and Stanley Weikert, business. would sell the district more than 150 acres along Interstate 5 near Valencia
The composition of the original Board of Trustees elected in Boulevard for about $10,000 an acre, then return 10 percent of the purchase
1967 changed, as John Hackney replaced Sheila Dyer in 1969. price as a gift. Now, all the district needed was the money.

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