Fresno State School was founded in 1911 with Charles Lourie McLane as its first president. It became Fresno State College in 1949, authorized to grant bachelor’s degrees. In 1961, it became a charter institution of the State College System of California, the forerunner of the California State University System. The name was changed to California State University, Fresno, in 1972.
Here are some stunning historical photos that capture the students’ life at Fresno State College in the 1960s.
#1 Fresno State College, February 27, 1964
#2 Suzanne Niswander, Roosevelt High School Class of 1962 and Bobbett Rich, Roosevelt High School Class of 1963, going on to be students at Fresno State College in Fresno, 1964
#3 Fresno State College, March 19th, 1964
#4 Fresno State College girls, 1966
#5 Sing-a-long to break the ice, 1963
#6 A small social mixer for students at Fresno State College back in 1963.
#7 Judy and Teddi, 1963
#8 Teddi and Paul Harvey Wallace, 22-March 1963
The future Dr. Paul Harvey Wallace enjoying his first year in college. Harvey went on to become a war hero and was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his actions in the Vietnam war in April 1968 as a Platoon leader with the 3rd Marine Division before returning to school to get his doctorate in law. He became a respected professor at Fresno State University among other accomplishments. He was a graduate of Fresno's Roosevelt High School as well as Fresno State College (as FSU was called back then). He died in August of 2009 and was posthumously granted the status of Professor Emeritus by Fresno State University.
#9 Jack, Teddi and Jon, at Fresno State College, 1963
#10 Judy, at Fresno State College, 1963. This gal was a redhead with an outgoing personality.
#11 Judy and Lance, at Fresno State College, 1963
#12 Steve and Kay, at Fresno State College, 1963
#13 Dancing the afternoon away, at Fresno State College, 1963
#14 Dancing the afternoon away, 1963
#15 Steve and new friend, at Fresno State College, 1963
#16 Dancing the afternoon away, at Fresno State College, 1963
#17 Dr. Paul Harvey Wallace, 1963
Paul Wallace, here in his first year of college, went on after college to become a marine officer and a war hero. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his actions in April of 1968 while serving with the 3rd Marine Division in the Vietnam war. After the war Paul continued his education, got a doctorate degree in law and became a revered professor in law and law enforcement at Fresno State University, where he co-authored a number of books on various aspects of law enforcment.