Lambton College - History

History

Opening in 1966, Lambton College was the second College in the Ontario College system to officially open. At this time 45 students were enrolled in five programs at the College. The Main Campus' cornerstone was dedicated on June 4, 1970. At that time sealed into the cornerstone were a set of coins and low-denomination bills of the day, a set of stamps of the day, a calendar of the college for 1970-71, a copy of the charter incorporating the College, a seal of the College, a piece of cloth used to cover the stone prior to its unveiling (velvet, dark green and white), all newspaper clippings covering the ceremony, audio tapes of the ceremony, a television tape of the ceremony, a copy of the deed of the land for the College, a list of the community committees that had served the Board of the College up to this point in time, a list of the guests attending the ceremony, a list of the first students of the College up to this point in time, and a copy of this list. The first president of Lambton College was Wolfgang Franke. He was selected from among 51 candidates and did not start full-time duties until January 1967 and his starting salary was $18 000. When campus staff went to give the first faculty tour for the first original site, it had to be delayed because the building housing the actual classrooms was locked and no one had the key. Ron Lawrence, one of Lambton’s first faculty members discovered (much to his dismay) that his house key fit the lock.