HISTORY DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER
January, 1980
Dear Alumni and a few others,
You have had so much news from Stetson that I have been reluctant to write. If
you haven't seen a copy of the new "glossy" University publication, Veritate, you
missed a treat. Congratulations to editor DORIE ROCKEFELLER.
DEAN BUNCH, '69, dropped by for dinner with us on February 7. DEAN is a member
of the law firm of Ervin, Varn, Jacobs, and Kitchen (to which former Governor Collins
is a consultant) in Tallahassee. He and JOE JACOBS, '50, were in town representing
the Peck interests in Daytona in a libel action (they lost the case). JACOBS is a
former Stetson football player, and his younger daughter ROZANNE "KIKI" is a Stetson
student.
February's Homecoming was quite a success. Kudos to co-chairmen HAROLD PARSON,
'48, and MAURICE MILLER, '42. The ceremony dedicating the Johns Room was well attended.
AMORY UNDERHILL, '36, WENDELL JARRARD, and JACK SHAW, '53, paid tribute to JOHN JOHNS
as a great teacher and for uniting town and gown. JOHNS asked that the room be a place
of "free discussion." JOHNS' son MARC was the "hit of the show" reading a tribute
from POPE DUNCAN. The room is now in constant use as a classroom and has served as a
meeting place for honor societies, religious groups, and movie programs.
MARTHA JOHNS missed the room dedication as she was on a trip to the Middle East.
She wrote, however: "I wish I could have heard [our son] MARC—JOHN was real proud
of him! Evans, I'm so thrilled with my gift! [A copy of the large portrait hanging
in the Johns Room.] It is framed beautifully and it's so nice to have the letter
with the picture. It is hanging in a prominent spot in our family room, along with
other Stetson pictures."
The law school breakfast saw the lawyers at play. BILL WHITAKER, '54, of Orlando , recently in the press as a member of the Greater Orlando Airport Authority,
was m.c. MURRAY SAMS, '49, spoke on malpractice suits against lawyers. He good-
naturedly complained of his nickname, "Cat Fish," saying that if he goes for a big
federal appointment that it will be used against him. PHIL HADDOCK, '47, recalled
Stetson's tiny graduating classes, saying that he graduated fourth or fifth in his
class of five. J. OLLIE EDMUNDS, '25, was introduced with the resurrected nickname,
"the Demon of Duval." JUDGE URIEL "BUNKY" BLOUNT introduced himself and his wife
saying, "I am in murder, rape, and robbery—and this is my wife, JESSIE." JIM NEMEC,
'32, and his wife, RUTH, '38, were present, having just returned from a trip to China
with all seven children. ►
A Homecoming party at MAURICE, '42, and JEANNE MILLER's house was jointly sponsored by RAY JORDAN, '41. CARTHA "DEKE" DeLOACH, '42, presented retiring Business
School Dean ED FURLONG, '38, with a set of golf clubs—expressing the hope that ED
would improve his golf.
The spring History Department supper coincided with Parents' Weekend. JOHN SCHORR,
Professor of Sociology, showed his China slides, and OLLIE, who had recently returned
from the same tour, commented. They saw a much more modern China than I remember from
World War II. A special treat was our introduction to MARTHA EDMUNDS, OLLIE's bride.
We presented her with Martex towels, made In my home town (well almost).
BETTY and I visited Orlando in the spring holidays and saw new homes in the Sweetwater Oaks development of real estate tycoon, EVERETTE HUSKEY, '60. Would you believe
a price of $300,000 with a down payment of $100,000? We were reminded of the number
of Stetson people in Orlando real estate. J. B. STEELMAN, '58, a Delta Sig and once a
basketball coach, heads a large organization, and WILLIAM WATSON, Jr., '59 enteredthe"
Orlando market by purchasing Henry Hoche and Company.
In the summer we spent a month in Spain driving through the countryside and
attempting (not always successfully) to avoid the cities. Spain was prosperous,
devoted to its new monarch, Juan Carlos, and seemingly forgetful that Franco was
once their dictator.
In the fall I completed an article for the University of Alabama Press, and LSU
returned the galleys of Oscar W. Underwood: A Political Biography. The book will
appear in May, 1980.
LIBBY, '39, and HUGH WEST, '31, GORDON, '50, and NALDA CARLSON, r47, PAUL and
