Rather than naming buildings after people who have made an impact on the country, such as Abraham Lincoln or George Washington, Bakersfield College brings it closer to home.

Each building named on campus, after the approval from the Board of Trustees, has been named in honor of an individual who has made a significant contribution to the college.

In 1955, the BC library was dedicated in honor of Miss Grace Van Dyke Bird. Bird began in 1920 as the Dean (in 1976 the Kern Community College District Board of Trustees conferred upon her the title President Emeritus) of the Junior College of Bakersfield. Bird “encouraged instruction in job skills as well as quality education for students transferring to four-year colleges,” as the BC homepage states. Bird was also one of the first to coin the phrase “community college” rather than junior college, arguing that “community was more descriptive of the institution’s role.”

There used to be a men’s residence hall where the library now stands, said Jerry Ludeke, co-director of the BC archive association. The residence hall had been named after Ralph Pator who served as the president of BC from 1950 to 1958. Since the building was knocked down to make room for the library, “we needed to find something to name after him; he was a president [of BC],” said Ludeke.

Finlinson Conference Center was dedicated in 1978 in honor of Burns Finlinson, who began serving both the Union High School and Junior College District in 1946. Finlinson served as coordinator of veterans’ affairs, dean of admissions and records, and vice president. Finlinson later became president of BC from 1968 to 1972.

In 1990, the BC baseball field was named after Gerry Collis, who began in 1957 as head baseball coach and football backfield coach. Collis later became the head football coach in 1967.

The gym and complex were both dedicated in honor of Gilbert Bishop in 1996. Bishop was an instructor, coach, athletic director, assistant superintendent and the district retirement consultant.

The recently opened student lounge has now been called the Irene Spencer Student Lounge, although no steps have been taken with the Board of Trustees for a formal dedication. Spencer retired in 2000 after serving BC for 17 years; she was department assistant III of Student Activities.

The newest building dedication at BC will be dedicated to Ed Simonson, who was BC president after the “move to the hill.” They will be dedicating the speech arts and music building to Simonson on April 21 during the ceremony of the 50th anniversary of moving from downtown to BC’s current location.