OTC dedicates historic Lincoln Hall

A public dedication marking the completion of $8 million in renovations and remodeling for Lincoln Hall on the Ozarks Technical Community College campus was held Oct. 19. Clockwise from top left: Dolores Brooks, the first OTC Board of Trustees president and now board vice president, participates in the ribbon cutting, as Springfield Mayor Tom Carlson, Marie Carmichael, president of the state Coordinating Board for Higher Edu-cation, and Greene County Presiding Commissioner David Coonrod look on. Brooks, Cliff Davis, Brian Fogle and Brian King speak to attendees. City Councilman Ralph Manley, always willing to lend a smile, also attended. OTC continues to improve its campus with changes such as ongoing construction on its Information Commons Building. Last, but not least, is Lincoln Hall, which was built in 1931 as the school for black children. After the public schools integrated in 1955, it served as Eastwood Junior High, then Graff Area Vocational Technical School. In 1991, Lincoln Hall became the cornerstone of the OTC Campus, and is now home to 12 educational and job-training programs offered at OTC.