Panola College is a community college located in Carthage, Texas. The name derives from Panola County, Texas, of which Carthage is the county seat. As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of Panola College is the following: Panola College was established in 1947, and began operations in January 1948 at the corner of State Highway 315 and U.S. Highway 79, where it continues to operate today. The first permanent buildings were erected in 1949. In 1995, the adjacent counties of Harrison (excluding parts as noted above), Marion, and Shelby were added by law to Panola's designated service area. Panola operates branch locations in Marshall and Center. The college also serves residents of nearby Louisiana parishes (as Panola County is on the state border) and United States Air Force members stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base. Panola's retired history professor Bill O'Neal, among his more than thirty published books, is the author of Panola Junior College: The First Twenty-Five Years (1973). He updated the volume as Panola College, 1947-1997 for the fiftieth anniversary of the institution. Panola College plays the following sports.