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B. T. Washington Junior College
 Booker Telfario
Washington Junior College (WJC) was founded on September 6, 1949, authorized
officially as a two-year college by the State Department of Public
Instruction, Tallahassee, and the Escambia County School Board. The
college was originally located at the corner of Strong and "A" Streets,
across from the original Washington High School.
 The
first graduating class, in 1951, consisted of 23 students. After five
years of growth, Washington Junior College was moved with the Washington High School to a new building on Tunis Street (now Texar
Drive). As the senior high school enrollments increased, the college
expanded to meet the needs of those students. The early 1960's saw the
construction of a new Student Activity Building, a Science-Homemaking wing,
and a new Health Center and gymnasium. Washington Junior College
provided a stimulating and inspirational program of educational and cultural
pursuits until 1966 when the college consolidated operations with Pensacola
Junior College.
Dr. Garrett Thurston Wiggins was the president of WJC. It is believed he
was the only educator to hold a doctorate degree in Pensacola from 1949 to
1954, when Dr. Ashmore arrived in Pensacola as president of
Pensacola Junior College. At the first
student assembly, Dr. Wiggins spoke of "Wisdom," "Judgment,"
and "Courage" as symbolic of the new college. These words were
later used in the college's motto, the "mizpah" of Washington Junior College:
"May we get knowledge and
understanding, but above all -- wisdom, judgment and courage."
Return to PJC History
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