Double the fun
For the first – and last – time in school history, there were two graduating classes in 1974 and therefore, two 50th reunions in 2024.
The unusual circumstance was the result of implementing a three-calendar-year continuous curriculum, according to a message from the dean, Dr. Kenneth V. Randolph, in the 1974 yearbook. The curriculum was put in place one year after breaking ties with Baylor University and becoming an independent institution in 1971, then-called Baylor College of Dentistry. In 1979, Randolph and the Faculty Council reversed the decision and returned to a four-year program.
In regard to the compact curriculum, Randolph’s yearbook message said, “The classes graduating in January and September of 1974 have been affected most, and the members should be complimented on their cooperation and rational attitude toward the change.”
In 2024, both classes returned to campus for their respective reunions, one in April and one in September.
