Way back in 1966 there were only two employees of what was then the Area V Community College-Vocational School: Donald Klucking, of Webster City, and Edwin Barbour, of Eagle Grove.

Klucking was the school’s secretary and business manager.

Barbour, who at that time had been Eagle Grove’s superintendent of schools for more than a decade, became the first superintendent of what is now known as Iowa Central Community College.

Fifty years later, he has been named to Iowa Central’s Hall of Fame as humanitarian, perhaps the greatest honor that could be bestowed on a man whose professional life was dedicated to an expanding avenue of education. The honor is posthumous; Barbour died March 29, 1993, at the age of 76. He retired as college president in 1983.

“A native of Beaconsfield, a tiny Ringgold County hamlet, which had a high school from which he graduated in 1934, Barbour started teaching at Arispe in 1936 after two years at Parsons College Fairfield,” according to a story published by The Messenger. “He earned his bachelor, master and doctor degrees in education by summer and special studies while continuing to teach school and coach. The bachelor came from Parson’s in 1941, the master’s from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, in 1948 the doctorate from Iowa State University in February 1966 – only months before he accepted the Area V position.”

Barbour recalled the beginning this way: “When I become superintendent in the summer of 1966, only the foundations of the science and library buildings on the north end of our complex had been poured. Those buildings had been authorized by voters of the Fort Dodge Community School District which was then operating the two-year college. There was a soybean field where our administration and voc-tech buildings and parking lots now are, a vacant lot bordering U.S. 20 where the dormitories are.”

The comments were made in 1978, long before the four-lane U.S. 20 was more than simply an idea.

There were 46 school districts in the nine-county area comprised of Buena Vista, Calhoun, Greene, Hamilton, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Sac, Webster and Wright.

The principal centers were in Fort Dodge, Webster City and Eagle Grove.

“We were scattered all over,” he recalled. “The Dodge Building – a former bowling alley bordering U.S. 169, which later became Iowa Central Rehabilitation Industries – was one of our centers. We had seven temporary metal buildings as classrooms, we rented the old 4-H building on the grounds and the Shaffer Building near the Expo Pool.”

As Iowa Central prepares for its homecoming on Saturday, Barbour’s legacy will, literally, surround it. Long gone is the beanfield and the two-employee startup.

2016 Iowa Central Hall of Fame Inductees

Humanitarian

Dr. Edwin Barbour (posthumous)

First President of Iowa Central Community College (1966-1983)

Distinguished Alumni

Deryl F. Hamann – 1952/3 General Studies, Fort Dodge Junior College

B.S. University of Nebraska 1956

J.D. University of Nebraska 1958

Chairman, Emeritus Spectrum, Financial Services INC.

OF Counsel to Baird Holm, LLP. Omaha, Nebraska

1971 founded Great Western Bank, grew to over 100 locations in Midwest-sold to National Australia Bank LTD in 2008

2011 awards-King of AR-SA-BEN, Corporate Lawyer of Year Omaha

Outstanding Service award, University of Nebraska College of Law.

2014 awards-Nebraska Business Hall of Fame

Douglas E. Parotts-Faith in Action, Humanitarian Award by National Conference of Christians and Jews

Service to many boards-University of Nebraska Foundation and Law, Past President Nebraska State Bar and member of Ethics Committee<Bellevue University Board.

Dr. Elizabeth W. Stoebe – Associate Degree Nursing, Iowa Central Community College 1974

B.S. Nursing Grandview College 1981

Doctor of Osteopath, University of Osteopathic Medicine (now Des Moines University) 1988

Unity Point Emergency Department-Fort Dodge

Mentor for medical students, physician’s assistant student, nursing and paramedic students

Active in Humboldt Community Schools

Will Lopes – Attended Iowa Central Community College 2000-2004 studying theatre, music and English

University of Northern Iowa 2004-2006

Masters Degree of Music, University of Northern Iowa 2012

Bachelors Degree in Sacred Music-Brazil’s Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Diploma in Piano and Music Theory Music Conservatory of FS Stat University, Brazil

Highlights of accomplishments:

Professional musician and lead vocalist Minneapolis Symphony

Adjunct faculty at Northwestern University, St. Paul

Published composer/arranger for Hal Leonard Corporation, J.W. Pepper & Sons, Graphite Publishing and Hinshaw Music

Founder/owner Will Lopes Music/Lopes Publications

Worship Arts Pastor Worship Arts Institute

Member of American Composer and Directors Association

Member of American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers

2016 Triton Athletic Hall of Fame

Jeff Gilligan

A.A. Iowa Central Community College 1973

B.A. Physical Education/Science Auburn University

MVP Mid-American Bowl Game

NJCAA First Team All American in 1972 (football)

Iowa Central Mike Algoe Award (top male athlete)

1973-1974 Wide Receiver Auburn University

All American at Auburn University

Will Shupe

Attended Iowa Central Community College 1978-Fall 1979

BS Computer Science with Math Minor Drake University

Second Team All-Conference (football) Iowa Central Community College -1978

First Team All-Conference Iowa Central Community College-1979

Iowa Central Community College Mike Algoe Award-1979

MVP Spring 1980 Drake University

Twice named Missouri Valley Player of Week 1981

All American Honorable mention 1981 Drake University

MVP Defensive Player of year 1981 (Drake)

Runner up Missouri Valley Defensive Player of Year 1981 (Drake)

David Heatherington

AA Farm Operations Iowa Central Community College 1984

First Team NJCAA All-American

1984 NJCAA National Champ (wrestling) @ 142

Volunteer Coach Fort Dodge Senior High and Prairie Valley High School

Sullivan Sykes

A.G.S. Iowa Central Community College 2004 St. Josephs College Indiana

First Team All Regional Iowa Central Community College 2001 (basketball)

First Team All Regional Iowa Central Community College 2003

Honorable Mention All American 2003

Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year St. Joseph College 2005-2006

D2 All American St. Joseph College 2006

3 years Professional Basketball Spain and Netherlands

Nick Judkins

AA Iowa Central Community College 2010

Bachelor Marketing Creighton University 2013

NJCAA Third Team All American 2010 (baseball) Iowa Central Community College

First Team All-Regional infielder 2009-2010 Iowa Central Community College

Golden Glove Award (top defensive short stop) 2010

Owns 5 single season Iowa Central Community College individual records (games played 67, batting average – .475, hits 104, runs batted in 84 and on-base percentage – .549.

2-year starter for Creighton University 2011-2012

2016 Inaugural Triton Athletic Team Award

Iowa Central Community College 1981 Wrestling Team was the first wrestling team to become a National Championship Team.

The team includes 5 All-Americans:

National Champion Kevin Russell @ 126 (Clarion)

Runner-up Mark Ostrander @ 142 (Fort Dodge St. Edmonds)

Runner-up Wayne Cole Heavy weight (Fort Dodge)

Returning National Champion and 3rd place finisher John Schaumberg (Eagle Grove)

5th place finisher Curt Pacha @ 167 (Washington, Iowa)

The team was coached by Dennis Friederichs Iowa Central Community College Wrestling Coach (1972-1996)