Florida Southern College - Interlachen Yearbook (Lakeland, FL)

Page 11 text:

The times were too perilous for the struggling church sem- inary. Quiet came t Micanopy while cannon boomed in battle. Young men went to war while old men tilled the fields. Educa- tion gave way to sell preservation. The years were long, but finally came the peace and reconstruction, and once again Florida Methodists set themselves to help educate their young ministers.

Page 10 text:

Despite the hardships of life in Florida 75 years ago, ministers and laymen of the Florida Meth- odist Conference, having a deep and abiding inter- est in education, created the East Florida Seminary at Micanopy — historically, the predecessor institu- tion to Florida Southern College. Hope was high for the school ' s future. hut war clouds loomed on the horizon. The con- flict between the States apparently was inevitable. Lincoln, Lee and other immortals of the day searched their souls and prayed for guidance. So, too, did Florida Methodists.

Page 12 text:

In 1879, Methodist young men and women went to opened at Orlando. The site was soon changed to Lees- Emory and Wesleyan in Georgia for higher education. burg, and in 1885, with an official charter from the state The flame, however, had been lighted at Micanopy and it of Florida, the classroom doors opened there with four never died. So in 1883, the South Florida Institute was teachers and 58 students.