Florida Southern College - Interlachen Yearbook (Lakeland, FL)

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t! 8 is 5 ' ! r ■ i - : p-y, ■I 9 w-j J a« began ai Florida L-onference College in JLeeiourg out wai forced to cloie after nine geari due to an economic depreiiion cauied bu a biq freeze. Jieven geari later it wai relocated in .Sutherland ai Zrlorida .Sieminarg. lAJniie at .Siutneriand, its name wai changed to .Southern College. JUurinq the next few ifeari, the college endured difficult timei with financial problemi, a damaging tropical itorm and an influenza epidemic, fjut the devastating blow came in 1921 when a raging fire compietelg deitroged the dormitoru for women and the adminiitration building. ZJemporarg facititiei were erected on Clearwater Jjeach jfiiand until 1922 when JLakeland wai choien over Uampa, St. f- etenburg, acnion- vilie, and Ut. f- ierce ai the next home for the college. Opening 5

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f- erhapi the turning point of the college wai the result of the ingenuity of two men, Jur. JLuda lll rl pive , the preiiaent of the college, and Irranh JLloua lAJrighl, rehnown American architect. JJr. Sipive travelea to lA right i ZJalei- iin home in lAJiiconiin to ask him to design the campus. aUr. .Spiveu went to him with no moneff or with no immediate plans to obtain anu. Wright wai impressed with Jur. J piveu s enthusiasm and within a gear plans were made for the entire west end of the campus. ZJhe original plan called for eighteen buildings but onlu ten were constructed, each with the assistance of students. (A right described his architecture as ei erif build- ing is out of the ground and into the light, a child of the sun. lAJright S work brought national and international fame to the campus and provided a new beginning for Florida J outhern College. lAJright S first building, the . nnie f- feiffer Chapel, Served as a cornerstone for the new campus and todau, it remains a sumbol of identification for the college. 6 Opening