ACC’s Waring Theater is more than just a theater. It’s the history of a man.

Houstoun Waring, for whom the M2900 lecture classroom was named, was a long-time editor of the Littleton Independent.

He was deeply involved with ACC’s roots.

His reporting on the very beginning of ACC shows that the establishment of this college was an uphill battle.

According to a September 1966 Littleton Independent article, Waring was very supportive of the establishing of a junior college in the Littleton area.

“He was nominated for the honor because of his distinguished career as a writer and editor, his participation in civic affairs, and his involvement in education, particularly with ACC,” Ann Priestman, reference and archive librarian, said in her article “Houstoun Waring Theater.”

The theater was named after him and dedicated on Monday, July 16, 1984, Priestman wrote. It was a large lecture classroom (M240) beginning in 1973.

Waring loved helping the school by writing about it in his newspaper, and by auditing classes and attending events in the theater.

Many events for the college and the community have been held in the Waring Theater.

Its large size makes it an ideal location for many gatherings. Now, more than 31 years after its dedication, the theater still is going strong. Its size is one reason why the ACC Psychology Club is using it for a number of events this semester, including one on Monday, Nov. 9. On that date, Toni Saiber, executive director of the Eating Disorder Foundation (EDF), will present a program there, said Allison Hagood, psychology professor at ACC.