Page 12 - Chaffee College Student Planner and Handbook 2021-2022

History of Chaffey College
On March 17, 1883 George and William Chaffey laid the cornerstone for the Chaffey College School of Agriculture. This date, March 17, has been identified as Founders' Day at Chaffey College.
In 1883 George and William Chaffey had a vision of opening a college in the Model Colony of Ontario. This college would provide education to the land owners and
workers. The Chaffey brothers were pioneers offering agricultural and general education to the local residents. Chaffey College represents the vision of George and William Chaffey, who founded the City of Ontario. Recognizing the need for an institution of higher learning, the Chaffey brothers donated land and established an endowment for a private college known as the Chaffey College of Agriculture.
The first campus in downtown Ontario provided a physical atmosphere and setting that were conducive to learning. As the school name reflected; academics and agriculture were the focus of the college during the early years. The first graduating class (1890) consisted of two female students.
Even in its early days, Chaffey was well known for its athletics programs, with track and field and football competing in the early 1890s. On a memorable day in December 1893, the Chaffey College football team took on USC in a game that determined the champion of intercollegiate football of Southern California. Chaffey College defeated USC 32-6 to win the first Southern California football title.
In 1960 the Chaffey College campus in Alta Loma (now
Rancho Cucamonga) opened. On July 1, 1968, the voters of
the Chino Valley School District voted to join the Chaffey College District, bringing the total service area to 310 miles encompassing Chino, Chino Hills, Ontario, Montclair, Upland, Fontana, and Rancho Cucamonga.
In keeping with the establishment of the California Community Colleges' Board of Government and State Legislative action designating the junior college as a community college, the Board of Trustees on July 14, 1970 formally adopted the name Chaffey Community College District.
In 1990, the first educational center was opened in Ontario which remained open until June 2007. The second center opened in Fontana on Merrill Avenue in 1999.
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