This last Tuesday I had the extreme honor of attending a groundbreaking ceremony for the soon-to-be-built technology center at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College’s Greenville campus.

It always amazes me when I take the bypass and see that nice long building sitting away from the road. Almost harder to imagine is that the same building is 13 years old. Construction was finished in 1993 and two years later I was home from the Navy and taking advantage of all LBWCC had to offer.

Let me first say that I’m a big supporter of LBWCC and the junior college system of Alabama. Ricky McLaney, Executive Director of the Butler County Commission for Economic Development, who spoke at Tuesday’s ceremony, said the people of Alabama owed a debt of gratitude to former Gov. George Wallace, who envisioned a state where those who wanted it didn’t have to drive far to receive a quality undergraduate education. Even though an earlier opposition to integration mars his legacy, there’s no doubt that Wallace did much good for Alabama. We have him to thank for LBWCC.

I have fond memories of my time spent at LBW.

I had Dr. Jean Thompson for English composition, both 101 and 102, and I think that’s where my career path first started to angle towards writing, or having something to do with writing. Up until that point, I had wanted to do something with art.

The classes seem to run together now. It’s been awhile. I remember physical education where we ran laps around that nice long building and played softball where the soon-to-be-built technology center will be built.

In Dr. Eric Lidh’s speech class I stood in front of the class and talked about how ants had invaded my car and that I was afraid to take girls on dates because they may have thought I was getting fresh when really it would just be the ants marching about their business.

One assignment, we had to attend a play at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, where I saw my old high school English teacher, Ms. Rose Ellis, who told me I had &uot;aged like a fine wine.&uot; She was such a good liar.

In an economics class, during the 1996 Presidential election, our teacher talked about how cute she thought Bill Clinton was and I gagged and voted for Dole.

A history class required us to memorize all of the presidents. And I did. How I did, I have no idea because there were some really forgettable presidents in the 1800s.

But anyway. September 2007 will mark a new day for LBW’s Greenville campus and I can’t wait to see what the technology center will look like.

Here’s to many more years of teaching students, LBW. Just like I used to be.

Kevin Pearcey is Group Managing Editor of Greenville Newspapers, LLC. He can be reached by phone at 383-9302, ext. 136 or by email at: editor@greenville.advocate.com.