 The college found its beginning in large part due to the efforts of C. L. Littel, Centralia Public Schools Superintendent and Dean Frederick E. Bolton of the University of Washington School of Education.During the early years Centralia College prepared students who would later go on to enroll at the University of Washington, and a special partnership between the colleges remained in place until 1947.The following year Centralia College earned its accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.