Celebrating 60 years of 'San Joaquin Delta College'

Date Posted: June 28, 2023
By john

Saturday, July 1 marks the 60th anniversary of the San Joaquin Delta College name, when the institution separated from Stockton Unified School District and charted its own course as an independent community college.

If the original SJDC logo (pictured above) is any indication, then we've come a long way since those days on the campus of College of the Pacific. Here's a look back at the Delta College of 1963.

The Collegian's banner headline spreading the news about Delta College — The Collegian trumpets the news of the name change from Stockton College to San Joaquin Delta College.

The first page of the 1963-64 Delta College catalog, featuring a message by College President Dr. Burke Bradley

The scene inside Delta College's library. — The scene inside Delta College's library

Main entrance to the Delta College library in 1963

Computer science courses have changed just a bit in six decades. — Computer science courses have changed just a bit since 1963.

So has Fierce the Mustang (at left, in 1963; at right, today)

What a biology lab looked like 60 years ago. The skeletons, at least, haven't changed much.

Engineering students in the middle of what looks like an important lesson. — Engineering class

The first iteration of Delta's triangular steamboat logo, at left; what the logo looks like today, at right

The microscopes of 1963 were not quite as advanced as the machines used in Delta's modern electron microscopy program, the only program of its kind at a community college in the U.S. — The microscopes of 1963 were not quite as advanced as the modern equipment used in Delta's electron microscopy program, the only program of its kind at a community college in the U.S.

Mustang basketball, circa 1963

A scene around campus. Although Delta College became an independent district in 1963, it stayed at College of the Pacific until the late 1970s when the Pacific Avenue campus was built.

Talented musicians then, talented musicians now

Another scene around campus

Mustangs on the baseball diamond

Delta College's Concert Band

Delta College's Concert Band — Culinary arts

Industrial technology

Speech and debate winners — Speech and debate tournament winners

The machine shop in 1963

Data processing

Front page news in the Collegian

Front page news in the Collegian

Delta Drama

Dr. Burke Bradley, who presided over Delta College when it separated from Stockton Unified and set out as an independent district.

60 years