This historical study focuses on the development and progress of the Collin County Community College District in its first five years. The educational philosophy, key policies, organizational structure, facilities, curriculum, and level of acceptance are examined as are faculty and student characteristics. This study addresses the local efforts leading to the creation of the district, the role of community and college leaders in its development and the District's unique features.

The purposes of the historical study are to describe Methodist education in Texas from 1840 to 1900; to find the reasons behind the proliferation of Methodist institutions after the Civil War and the problems involved in this development; to analyze centralization efforts after 1900 as a pattern of Methodist educational institutions emerged; to describe the evolution of Southern Methodist University as a regional college West of the Mississippi; to give brief descriptive overviews of the other six Methodist institutions in Texas; to describe the current status of Methodist higher education in Texas; to discuss Methodist higher education in Texas at the present and to project the possible future development of Methodist higher education in Texas.