Documenting the 25-year history of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS), this book focuses on each of the successive academic terms from 1963-64 to 1987-88. The chapters are grouped into five sections, corresponding to the lengths of tenure of the five NCCCS presidents: the (Isaac) Ready years from 1963 to 1970; the (Ben) Fountain years from 1971 to 1978; the (Charles) Holloman transition during the 1978-79 academic year; the (Larry) Blake years from 1979 to 1983; and the (Robert) Scott years from 1983 to the present. Each chapter is divided into short, one- to two-paragraph descriptions of transitional events, decisions, board rulings, policies, and incidents that affected the college. Examples of topics covered in the history include the following: (1) the beginnings of an open door comprehensive community college; (2) college finances, including budgeting and budget cuts, financial support, allocation of funds, and related educational legislation; (3) difficulties with the growing system, including enrollment deficits and civil rights issues; (4) short-term goals and long-range planning activities; (5) accreditation; (6) school politics; (7) systemwide growth, fiscal cuts, and future plans; (8) the emphasis on skilled workers; (9) fiscal restraints; (10) special legislation; and (11) desegregation rulings and issues. The chapters are followed by the "Preliminary Report of the Commission on the Future [of the NCCCS]," by Sherwood H. Smith. A 104-item general bibliography and a 170-item bibliography of dissertations on topics related to North Carolina's community colleges and technical institutes are included. (JMC)