▁the ▁high ▁school ▁principal ▁as ▁de an . ▁Kn own ▁originally ▁as ▁Fort ▁Smith ▁Junior ▁College , ▁the ▁institution ▁operated ▁within ▁the ▁Fort ▁Smith ▁public ▁school ▁system ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁when ▁the ▁school ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁a ▁private , ▁non pro fit ▁institution ▁with ▁its ▁own ▁gover ning ▁board . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁the ▁College ▁moved ▁from ▁borrow ed ▁facilities ▁in ▁the ▁high ▁school ▁to ▁its ▁current ▁site , ▁initially ▁occup ying ▁. ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁private ▁college ▁era , ▁en roll ment ▁increased , ▁as ▁did ▁course ▁offer ings , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁fac ulty , ▁and ▁facilities . ▁A ▁voc ational - techn ical ▁division ▁was ▁added ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁During ▁this ▁period , ▁the ▁college ▁began ▁developing ▁the ▁programs ▁and ▁character ▁of ▁a ▁compreh ensive ▁community ▁college — a ▁new ▁concept ▁in ▁Ark ansas ▁and ▁across ▁the ▁nation . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁the ▁Sebastian ▁County ▁elect or ate ▁approved ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Sebastian ▁County ▁Community ▁Junior ▁College ▁District , ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁tax ▁le vy ▁on ▁the ▁real ▁and ▁personal ▁property ▁of ▁the ▁county . ▁The ▁governor ▁appointed ▁a ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees , ▁and ▁the ▁school ▁again ▁became ▁a ▁public ▁institution . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁the ▁institution ' s ▁name ▁was ▁changed ▁from ▁Fort ▁Smith ▁Junior ▁College ▁to ▁West ark ▁Junior ▁College , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ,