the founding of a junior college in san francisco had long been the dream of archibald jeter cloud, the chief deputy superintendent of the san francisco unified school district (sfusd). in response to black tuesday and the ensuing great depression, cloud worked to convince the san francisco board of education of the necessity of a junior college in depression-era san francisco and of the district's financial ability to form one. cloud's presentation of fiscal studies in 1934 convinced the board of the availability of federal and state funding for a junior college. city college of san francisco was established by the board of education of the san francisco unified school district on february 15, 1934 and officially opened on august 26, 1935 as san francisco junior college. the college had no central campus at the time. instruction began on september 4, 1935, with morning classes held at the university of california extension building on powell street and afternoon classes held at galileo high school. the long distance between the two locations gave the college the nickname "trolley car college." increasing enrollment gave way to the college's expansion to lick-wilmerding high school, samuel gompers trade school, marina junior high school, and other locations. a permanent main campus near ocean avenue was approved by the san francisco board of education in 1937 and opened in 1940 with the opening of science hall.