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

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Jt xx —XX XX XX XX. OX XX XX--XX-XX--XX--XX XX fl of the high schools of the State, and inasmuch as the cost of maintaining all seemed disproportionate to the results obtained, the Legislature passed the “Buckman Act,” the effect of which was to merge the six into the “Florida Female College” and the “University of the State of Florida.” In 1903 and 1909 the names were changed by legislative acts to “Florida State College for Women” and “University of Florida.” During the first session of the University, a distinct normal school, which included two years of sub-freshman grades, was maintained. In addition to this, instruction was given in Agriculture and in Engineering, as well as usual collegiate branches. Candidates for admission to the Freshman class must have finished the eleventh grade of a high school. The Agricultural Experiment Station was a separate division, although members of its staff gave instruction to the students, and the President of the University acted as its Director. The next year the staff of the Experiment Station was required to devote its time exclusively to station activities, and a special director was elected. The normal school was abolished and instruction in Pedagogy was transferred to the University proper. Two years of sub-freshman work were, however, still offered. Upon the election in 1909 of Dr. A. A. Murphree to the presidency, steps were taken to re-organize the University. The present organization dates from 1910. The College of Law was added in 1909, and the departments offering instruction mainly to normal students were organized into a college in 1912. In 1913 the present entrance requirements went into effect. The same year a Summer School was established by an Act of Legislature, and the Farmers Institute work of the University and the co-operative demonstration work of Florida and of the United States Department of Agriculture were combined on July the first, 1915, and all the agricultural activities of the University were placed under the direction of the Dean of the College of Agriculture. Immediately after the United States entered the world war the equipment of the University was placed at the disposal of the Government. During the summer of 1918 the College of Engineering was operated as the “University of Florida Army School” for the vocational training of soldiers. At the opening of the session of 1918-1919 all regular activities of the University were subordinated to the task of training men for the armed forces of the United States. On December fourteen, 1918, upon the mustering out of the Students’ Army Training Corps, the University again took up its regular work, although it made liberal allowances in credits to students for the interruption of their studies caused by military service. During the summer of 1919 the General Extension Division was established at the University. The school also entered into a contract with the United States Government to assist in the work of rehabilitating men disabled while in the armed forces of the country. Thus, from the earliest period to the present time we have gradually progressed and have reached a very high degree of success. Next we must consider the organization of this institution. There are now seven complete departments carrying on all forms of higher education, in comparison with only a few selected subjects a few years ago. XX II XT irru XI XT :xrr Tr ti TT PAGE 29

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 HISTORY, ORGANIZATION ANI) FUTURE Perhaps the most important factor in the growth and reputation of a University is its history. The history of this institution, while it should be uppermost in our minds and well known to every one of us, is probably the least-thought-of essential in connection with the University of Florida. From the history of this institution we may learn to appreciate what we really have at our disposal today; how far we have progressed, and through what strife and conflict we have worked our way to the present high standard. The State of Florida has always been interested in education, in higher education particularly, and with this in mind has formulated many plans and many valued institutions. Little do we realize that as far back as 1824 the Legislative Council discussed plans for the foundation of a University. From “Memoirs of Florida” we may learn that in the year 1886 trustees for a proposed University were appointed, but apparently nothing was accomplished at that time. Upon the admission of Florida to the Union in 1845, the State was granted nearly a hundred thousand acres of land by the General Government, the proceeds from which were to be used to establish two Seminaries, one east and one west of the Suwannee River. The effect of this was the foundation of the East Florida Seminary at Ocala in 1852, and of the West Florida Seminary at Tallahassee in 1856. The East Florida Seminary was removed to Gainesville in 1866. The State Constitution of 1868 contained provisions for establishing and maintaining a University, pursuant to which the Legislature passed the next year “An Act to establish a uniform system of common schools and a University.” Other attempts to establish a university were made in 1883 by the State Board of Education, and in 1885 by the legislature. Furthermore, the State Constitution of 1885 expressly permitted special legislation with regard to a university. Meanwhile, in the year 1870, the legislature had passed “An Act to establish the Florida Agricultural College.” This not fully meeting the terms of the “Land Grant College” Act of Congress in 1862, the Legislature passed, in 1872, a supplementary act and the State received, in consequence thereof, ninety thousand acres of land from the General Government in support of the proposed college. In 1873 a site for this was selected and in 1875 another selection was made. Finally, in 1883, Lake City was chosen, and upon completion of the college, instruction was begun in the fall of 1884. In 1886 an attempt was made to have the name of this institution changed to “University of Florida,” and this title was finally secured by a legislative act of 1903. Before this, in 1884, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station had been established as one of its departments in accordance with the terms of the Hatch Act. During these years, in addition to the three mentioned, there had come into existence three other State institutions of higher education: the Normal School at DeFuniak Springs, the South Florida College at Bartow, and the Agricultural Institute in Osceola County. In 1905, however, inasmuch as these six institutions had failed to make satisfactory differentiation among themselves and to separate their work sufficiently from that ri— rx: rr tt—ir “XT TT TT TT PAGE 28

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I. The Graduate School. II. The College of Arts and Sciences: a. A curriculum leading to the B. A. degree. b. A curriculum leading to the B. S. degree. c. A Pre-Medical Course. III. The College of Agriculture: а. A curriculum leading to the B. S. degree in Agriculture. б. A curriculum leading to the title of Graduate in Farming. c. A two-year course. d. A one-year course. e. A four-months course. Experiment Station Division. Extension Division. IV. The College of Engineering: a. A curriculum leading to the B. S. degree in Civil En- gineering. b. A curriculum leading to the B. S. degree in Electrical En- gineering. c. A curriculum leading to the B. S. degree in Mechanical En- gineering. d. A curriculum leading to the B. S. degree in Chemical En- gineering. V. The College of Law: A curriculum leading to the degrees of LL. B. and J. I). VI. The Teachers College and Normal School: a. A curriculum leading to the A. B. degree in Education. b. A curriculum leading to the B. S. degree in Education. c. A Normal Course leading to a Diploma. d. Correspondence School. e. The University Summer School. General (connected with at least four colleges). Division of Military Instruction. Division of Rehabilitation. VII. Extension Service. In addition to the history and organization of our University, we must include, as one of the most important, if not the highest essential, of our college organization, the Faculty, without which we could not exist. And furthermore, to keep up this existence as a recognized university among the large schools of the United States, the faculty must be of the highest degree of efficiency and of the very best possible qualifications. As a whole, they must be a proficient body of men, capable of handling and understanding students in every way; able to mix with them in athletics and society. They must each, separately and individually, be endowed with a spirit of love and loyalty for Florida, and should mingle with the scholars and discuss with them all phases of life as man to man, as well as verse the younger generation in the divers branches of higher learning. In analyzing the faculty of this institution, we find all these characteristics, and we are indeed proud of that noble group of men who are dedicating their lives to the worthy cause of guiding the footsteps of the future