Florida Agricultural College - Pinakidia Yearbook (Lake City, FL)

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V MWWWWW 7 W -'jg' 1 HIS necessary adjunct to every first-class institution of learning, The Students' Christian . l ' Association, came into the college early in its history. ff . -f -Q, Mrs. Kern, the wife of the President, organized it some eleven years ago. She was fm succeeded by Mrs. Doctor Vocum, who in turn was succeeded by Professor C. V. NVaugh with D the aid of that noble christian woman, Mrs. Professor H. K. Ingram. All greatly deplorecl - ' her failing health and retirement from college. Miss McClintock has since nobly filled her place. Professors McClintock and VVaugh are generally present at the meetings. The object of the Association is to help Christian students in their spiritual life, and to train them for active service in the church militant, where consecrated, educated men and women are so much needed. Here the spirit of active Cliristianity is infused into the souls of our young men and women. The Association wieldsa helpful influence on the student body. The strongest men of the college are workers in the Association i Meetings are held every Sunday evening from six to seven o'clock. The present officers are: President, R. H. Rowe: Secretary, L. T. Patillo: Treasurer and Librarian, J. H. Bridges. New students coming to college may look out for S. C. A. men who take pleasure in doing the many little things so helpful to new students.

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Each and every one of these members, together with a great many more that we might mention, who have gone out from our college and our society, and attained positions of trust and honor throughout the country, did all in their power for the advancement of the society. Later members of distinction were Messrs. Bellot, Wigg, Yocum, Butler, Clute, Layne and Calhoun, while during the last two years Messrs. Rowe and Pattillo have figured very prominently in the work of the organization. During the first few years of its history the Forum Society seemed to be under an unlucky star, and for a long time she lost continuously in the debates which were held three times a year between the societies. But in the debate of the commencement of 1896, a year to be remembered in the history of the institution, the society recovered some of its lost prestige. In this debate the society was represented by Adjutant William XV. Flournoy, afterwards Commandant of Cadets for two years, and now a law student at Lebanon, Tennessee, and Captain D. N. Cone, now a practising physician in Columbia County. Since this time the society has been almost uniformly victorious, winning every debate with one exception, in the year 1897. This statement will doubtless be hailed with joy by those who, to use the Commandant's expression, Suifered and bled and died in the service of the ' Blue and Gofdl prior to that time. In addition to the advantages to be derived from the society from an intellectual standpoint, there is also much to be gained in a social way. The receptions and banquets given by the society have always been very pleasant features during each school year. Since last year, owing to unfortunate circumstances, it has been impossible to have the customary debates, but the Forum Society has, on several occasions, had public meetings in which speakers of note addressed the people in general from our rostrum. Chief among these was Senator Broome, who spoke under the auspices of our Society last january, while last commencement we presented to the public General john B. Gordon, the far-famed soldier, statesman and lecturer, who held the vast audience spell-bound by his matchless eloquence, or made them shake with laughter by his irresistible humor. 62

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Athletics. --4u.f'11.l.f-s N ATHLETIC organization is as yet a thing of tl1e futurein the F. A. C. The fact of there being no organization, however, is not due to a lack of interest in athletics among the students, but is entirely the fault of the Board of Trustees. O11ly in the last year has any interest been shown in athletics by the Board, and, as a result, the many trees of the campus , M iz are adorned with trapezes and rings, and, under the shade of the larger trees, horizontal and L - -' parallel bars have become prominent. ' 5,9 With usual forethought the members of the Board have now made preparations for teaching certain branches of athletics, and a beautiful tennis court has sprung up, where the professors diligently apply themselves, in order that they may be better enabled to give us the advantage of their learning in years to come. In the present year, also, a course of instruction with dumb-bells and Indian clubs was arranged, and it has proved of great benefit to the students, who now clamor so loudly and persistenly for a complete course in this department that serious plans are being made for constructing a gymnasium. One of the prominent features which recommends itself to the consideration of thinking people in the management ot the so-called military schools and colleges, is the splendid system of physical training connected therewith. Probably no one thing contributes so much to the success of its graduates in after life as the robust constitutions which, in a large measure, are the results of careful and systematic scientific training of the various muscles of the body while at school. And, on the other hand, the failure of many a student who left school with the most tiattering prospects for a brilliant future can be traced directly to the fact of his engaging in some calling which calls for no outlay of 64