Elephants in the gymnasium—and water gushing in the library.

Both events from the early days of DeKalb College (now Georgia Perimeter College) are still fresh in Barbara Disney’s mind.

“The elephants—part of the Royal Hanneford Circus—came in on their knees to get through the doors of the Clarkston Campus gymnasium,” Disney recalls. And the water accident was a separate incident caused by an incorrectly installed pipe that burst in the library.

Disney would accumulate many more memories, spending more than 30 years at the college before retiring in the late 1990s. But those early days of elephants squeezing through those gym doors are still fresh in her mind.

The 82-year old former college human resources director was one of the first employees hired by the DeKalb County Board of Education when the school doors opened Sept. 28, 1964, in Clarkston.

Since then, the college has grown from 763 students and one campus, to five campuses and more than 21,000 students. In 1986, it became a unit of the University System of Georgia, marking the end of its unique time under local school board governance.

On Friday, Sept. 5, Disney will join past and present employees as they kick off a two-year celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary. Celebrating for two years will allow the college to honor the anniversaries of its opening, its dedication and the first graduating class in 1966. The GPC freshman class of 2014 will be the 51st graduating class.

Collins Foster, GPC alumni director, is excited to kick off the two-year celebration. She’s co-chairing the 50th anniversary events with Bill Moon, GPC business professor and department chair.

“Acknowledging and honoring the past are very powerful exercises,” Foster says. “I am excited to see the long-term impact of how celebrating GPC’s rich history will inspire the future. Knowing where you started is the first step toward a better way forward.”

Events during the 2014-15 year include a 1960s symposium in February, a living history project, and a college-wide festival in April.