University of Florida - Tower / Seminole Yearbook (Gainesville, FL)

Page 20 text:

Two newly arrived freshmen look over the dorms. A counselor and his group of freshmen during orientation week. Chancellor of the Honor Court, Walt Matson, leads the Honor Court orientation. Orientation---? The bright young faces pictured here have just joined the parade of progress that is the University of Florida. That they may find this difficult to realize is due to the fact that they are currently embroiled in Orientation Week. To the freshman, nothing is so confusing (or so required) as this Week of Walking. Progress? Never has he made so much prog- ress! From the Ad Building to the Library to Walker Auditorium to the Cafeteria to the Gym to the Military Building to the Fresh- men Dorms and back to the Ad Building . . . and ALL on foot! Despite the avalanche of lectures, instructions, et al., their first con- clusion is that this is nothing more than a marathon cross-country race.

Page 19 text:

A band concert in the Plaza for summer relax- ation. Al Millar, Summer Frolics Chairman, and the Queen. The Queen and her court. One of the presentations by the Summer Lyceum Council. Summertime . . . music, parties, culture and contests. All this and more as students relaxed from the gruelling task of making up needed honor points. Reviving a bit of all too rapidly disappearing Americana, the open air band concert, Colonel Harold Bachman ' s followers filled the Plaza of the Americas with their music. Not having to compete with the roars of some 35,000 football fans, the Summer Band offered what was prob- ably the most relaxing and leisurely entertain- ment of the season. While Summer Lyceum offered culture, Sum- mer Frolics sponsored contests; and the winner found herself crowned Queen of Summer Frolics. Setting studies aside, the campus devoted itself to an entire weekend of fun and frolic. 15

Page 21 text:

And yet, from tWs apparent chaos, there begins to emerge a threoWfof purpose. The thread grows and is soon woven into a cloth of accomplishment. If the end result seems to be a patch-work quilt, it is because the raw materials were as varied as they were many. From Cottondale to Coral Gables, they converged on the campus, eager to make the transi- tion from high school seniors to college freshmen. Orientation is the first step in this transition. As their awe turns to awareness, as their confusion gives way to comprehension, they pass through the events of Orientation Week. Divided into small groups and led by an upper-classman, they are wel- comed, instructed, and lectured; and as a result they are prepared for every phase of college life . . . except registration. That they emerge from Orientation unprepared for registration cannot be considered the fault of those leaders who directed Orientation. Registration defies preparation. It defies explanation! It defies even college seniors (who, according to the novelists, have already mastered the ways of the world, the theory of relativity, the faults of Communism, the mystery of the Creation, and all of the social graces). But when it ' s all over their 7:40 Military class is just another college hazard, their 3:40 writing lab could have been a Saturday class, and, after ail, they ' re college men now! The freshmen quickly find out that registration is hell. A truck interferes with the registration of a few freshmen. An Orientation Week street donee is relaxing after o tough week. 17