Ted Beck on the History of Centennial College
Channel: Lawrence Molczyk
Date: 2014-10-12

In 1966 an eight member University of Nebraska, Lincoln  committee headed by Wallace C Peterson proposed the idea of the Centennial education program in recognition of the University’s 100th year. It became known as the “living learning experience”. Participants who were selected received six credit hours in humanities for their participation. For the remainder of their work, they joined with the rest of the University.  Students lived and studied together in a facility located in the former Love and Heppner women’s residence hall on 16th Street on City Campus in Lincoln.

Initially, Dr. Robert E Knoll, professor of English, headed a team of professors known as fellows who guided students in interdisciplinary study defined by student interest. Four full time and 10 part-time professors agreed to participate. Two adjacent residence halls housed men and women in close proximity. A variety of classrooms meeting rooms and a large “commons” room provided opportunities for living, learning, study and recreation under the loose guidance of these teachers. Dr. Ted Beck, who later served in this directorship role, was an honored guest at an October 2014.

According to the philosophy expounded at the time, the purpose of education was to develop strategies for independent investigation which could follow one throughout a lifetime…learning how to learn was a goal in itself.  This environment provided a hotbed of progressive thinking during this era. The Vietnam War was raging, issues of race and religion were under question as well as traditional institutions including the University itself. The Centennial College Education Program became a channel for these energies within the University of Nebraska.