I, the Kornerman, have never been bashful about my appreciation and love for our Boone Campus, Des Moines Area Community College. Yes, I'm a biased Boone Junior College graduate. However, this admiration runs much deeper than individuality. What a tremendous asset it has been for this community. I hate to think had we "missed out" those many years ago when a group of strong citizens dedicated themselves to making sure of its future presence and growth HERE.
The most recent issues of the DMACC newsletter prompted my great interest in reliving some of the history of Boone Campus.
My Boone High School classmate, the late Lloyd Courter, BHS-53, and my old boss, Bernie Saggau, at the Iowa Boys High School Athletic Association, were two of the most forward thinking individuals I've ever known. Lloyd was a member of the Boone Community School System Board of Education and then a member of the DMACC Board of Directors at the time Boone Junior College evolved into the DMACC Boone Campus. He understood there would be detractors from out of Boone County regarding this proposed development and fought hard to keep the DMACC connection here, in Boone.
That importance of a Boone connection on the DMACC Board has continued. Many years back, in 1966, Harold Welin of Boone was a charter DMACC Board member and when committees were being developed for the Boone JC to DMACC changeover, the Boone County Superintendent, Marvin Sturtz, was an important contributor. Later, Boone's Dr. Wayne Rouse was a board member and even now, Fred Greiner represents this community on the board through 2023.
The newsletter points out that two more individuals, with Boone connections, have just completed terms on the DMACC Board. They are Jim Heckman, CEO and General Manager of the Ogden Telephone Company and Tamara Wilson Kenworthy, BHS-77.
Tamara, the daughter of the late Chuck and Bette Wilson of Boone restaurant (Bon Appetite/Colonial House) fame, went from DMACC to the University of Northern Iowa and then earned an MBA at the University of Cincinnati. She and Marty Kenworthy, who came to DMACC to play baseball and take pre-engineering, met at Boone Campus in the late 70's and have been married for over 30 years.
In "real life," Tamara is the Founder and President of On Point Strategies and has 30 years experience in planning, research and marketing. Marty practices business, commercial real estate and construction law. He followed up his DMACC training with work at Bradley University.
As long as we're on the subject, let's highlight "how Boone Campus got to where it is."
There was never a doubt about Boone wanting to continue what Boone J.C. had to offer. In the early 1960's, a federal grant for over $1.5 million was sought and approved for construction of classrooms and a separate physical education building. An additional federal grant of $925,000 was also available providing approval via a community election. Boone citizens came up with overwhelming support, over 96% approval.
Next, in late 1965, a location for the new facilities was sought and 22 acres at the current location were purchased. The former BJC sites, the third floor of the high school building and the former home of the "old" Franklin Elementary school, were shut down and movement to the new facilities took place in late 1968.
Finally, July 1, 1969, the the long-time, hard work and dedication of many Boone supporters along the way resulted in the purchase of Boone Junior College by the Des Moines Area Community College.
Thankfully, Boone Campus is here, it continues to grow and expand and its not going anywhere else.
K-----K
Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email your stories/memories/comments/death notices.....
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