Northwest College

Here's what Virginia Rains Harris, secretary of the Northwest Center Student Council from 1946-47, said about one of the challenges facing the very first NWC students who didn't have a building or a campus yet:

There was no place to hang coats, keep extra books or personal items. There was no place to gather before classes or in between classes. We were truly orphans wandering at night through the darkened hallways of an empty high school. The high school recognized this and assigned us a basement room. They gave us a few tables and chairs, and best of all, a ping-pong table! Ping-pong became the school sport.

Ron Gilbert showed off his leg appeal while decorating the 1985 Christmas tree.

Recognize Shawn Fuller? He's the guy outjumping the defense to take a shot during a 1989 game and one of the best Trapper years on record. Here's what the 1989 year book says:

Trappers season,
one of best ever

It was a great season, the best since 1968-69. The Trappers ended with an overall season record of 25-7 and a team average of 92.8 points per game. The average field goal percentage was 52.4 a game, with free throw percentages hitting 66.3.

In first round action at Region IX tournament in Casper, the Trappers downed the Casper Thunderbirds 81-77. In the following game against Southeast Community College, the Trappers were outscored 66-64 by the Blue Devils.

The leading scorer for the Trappers was Ed Wilson, with a total of 453 points for the season, an average of 14.6 per game. Trapper guard Rod Hill was the only Northwest player named to the All Region Team. He was the second leading scorer with 441 points, an average of 14.8 per game.

Three Trappers—Hill, Paul Columbus and Allen Gordon—were named to the 12-Man All Conference Team of the Wyoming Community College Athletic Association.

According to the 1966 yearbook, "Registration meant long lines to the freshmen. Hours of standing in line to talk to the registrar; long lines to obtain counseling; long lines to pay fees; and even long lines to the cafeteria. Just like hairstyles and fashion, registration has changed over the years at Northwest.

In 1955, prize winners of the Western Dance were (l-r) Birney Cox, Donna McGalmon, Ila Hart and Ralph Newell, who served as an NWC trustee from 1992-2002.

With the addition of the Yellowstone Building in Fall 2014, the Northwest College campus expanded to 15 academic facilities, five residence halls, numerous apartment buildings and a student center. But back in 1956, the entire campus consisted of one building for all of academics and administration, plus a gymnasium/multi-purpose building. The two were hooked together by a breezeway.

The courtyard is a highlight of the Yellowstone Building's architecture, but courtyards are not new to NWC. Notice the classroom/administration building on the left (now called the Orendorff Building) boasts an enclosed center courtyard. This inside outdoor space was later repurposed as a natural history museum.

It was the year Kentucky Fried Chicken changed its name to KFC; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were cool Christmas gifts and almost everyone was watching Roseanne on prime time television. It was May 1991, and this unnamed fellow got a kick out of his fellow graduate's diploma.

This image came from a 1985 yearbook page titled "Social Frontiers."

Homecoming attendant Pat Brabec got to ride on her own float in the 1965 Homecoming Parade. Butch Munroe was named Homecoming Queen that year. Betty Kilness and Cathy Fossen were her other attendants.

The Trapper Basketball Team, otherwise known as Hank's Boys (for Coach Hank Cabre) took some time away from practice drills to participate in the 1967 Homecoming Parade. Trapper players that year were Jim Key, Ray Dirindin, Cecil Morries, Ron Moore, Jessie Jefferson, Roy Beasley, John Johnson, Mike Brown, Randy Samelson, Bob Peircy, Willis Bradley, Gary Roden, Mark Hall and Bill Klotz.

The Student Senate hosted a Banana Split Social in 1985 for students to meet senate officer and delegate candidates. No matter the year, food has always been a big draw for students.

Stacy Bey and Jackie Hornbuckle told Santa they were on his nice list for Christmas 1992. They had the chance to talk to the jolly old elf after the annual caroling on the mall to accompany the lighting of the star on the top of the carillon. Other NWC holiday events that year included the Choral Art Ensemble's Feaste of Carols and Pudding and the Master Chorale performance of Bach's "Magnificat" and Handel's "Messiah."

Can anyone say full QWERTY keyboard? In 1953, NWC students learned their typing skills on manual typewriters (looks like even cowboys learned to type).

How did you handle phone calls when you were at Northwest? Joe (don't know his last name) and his fellow students had to come to the front desk of their hall to take or place phone calls in 1967.