OCC's living history

In 1948, Orange Coast College was nothing more than an assortment of wooden barracks in the Santa Ana Army Air Base. Farmhouses, cottages and tumbleweeds filled the surrounding landscape.

Yet it was the school of choice for 515 students and 33 faculty members its first semester.

Giles T. Brown was one of those teachers. Brown remembers the little things about his time at OCC, such as when he’d use the day’s newspaper in his social science curriculum.

“I liked to teach that history was a living thing,” Brown said.

On Wednesday, Brown became a part of what he taught during OCC’s early years: living history. OCC honored the 91-year-old and founding faculty member with an intimate luncheon — about 35 showed — that commemorated renaming the school’s first lecture hall the Giles T. Brown Forum.

“I think it’s a very humble thing. Not very many people have buildings named after them. I never thought I would have one,” Brown said.

Brown’s recognition has little to do with the 300-seat forum’s success and much to do with his legacy as an instructor.

“I still meet people in the community that remember him as a teacher. And they say he was the best teacher they ever had; they were inspired by him. He was a role model,” said OCC President Bob Dees. “He’s always representing the very best of Orange Coast College in terms of his faculty and staff and the kind of gift that he brought to the campus.”

Brown hired Doris Crystal.

“He trained me so well I was on my own as a course assistant,” Crystal said. “No one knew what I did but they knew they couldn’t work without me.”

“The people that may have given me what looks like success is because of the people that were there,” Brown said. “I was kind of the one that was a catalyst that brought people together. But they’re the ones that should have their names on the building.”

1948 IN REVIEW

 Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated

 Israel declares statehood

 The World Health Organization is established

 Apartheid begins in South Africa

 Truman defeats Dewey

 The first McDonald’s restaurant opens in San Bernardino

 The Cleveland Indians win the World Series

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.