STETSON UNIVERSITY HISTORY DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER
January, 1977
BEAUTIFUL DELAND
The oranges hang heavy on the trees, the manatees have returned to Blue Springs
run, and the circus is wintering in town with lions, tigers, and llamas. It's time
for a History Department Newsletter. Ed L'Heureux '61, wrote recently in the Central
Florida Magazine of which he is associate editor: "Please don't tell anyone I sent
you [to DeLand], or if you must, do it in a whisper. DeLand is such a good thing it
should be murmured in a whisper."
Many of us have wished that DeLand might be returned to its appearance around
the turn of the century, after the town was rebuilt following the fire of 1886.
In a measure this is being done. The city honored DeLand Sun News publisher
Morgan Welch '68 and his wife, Mary Jane, in late November for their efforts in
beautification, as they dedicated "the alley" behind North Boulevard, between
Rich and Indiana Avenues as Centennial Square. The second stage of the city's
beautification project is to be a mall on the same side of the Court House
(whether two way traffic will still be permitted is now in dispute). One of
the most attractive downtown buildings is at the corner of West Indiana and the
Boulevard, once G. G. Smith Drug Store and now Sandy's Appliances. There is
still a great potential for beautification, but not all property owners recognize
it.
DeLand's popular Mayor and part-time Stetson insurance professor, Don Page,
will step down when his four-year term ends in May.
BETTY AND I
We returned from a month in Colombia in early June after a tour highlighted
by a visit to Monkey Island on the Amazon and the mysterious stone figures at
San Agustin. In Bogota, Betty apprehended a pickpocket who had lifted my raincoat
and was about to seize my wallet. At Miami International I was gently frisked for
drugs on our arrival. At the airport we received a surprise call to the Eastern
Desk. I had talked briefly with Michel Huysman '68 on the telephone,and Michel,
together with daughter Pam, had come to visit with us. Michel is now an immigration
attorney in Miami and also operates a real estate firm that deals in North Carolina
property.
Arriving back in Orlando we found that David Bannister '76, who was to meet
us, had failed to show. Later we learned that David had car trouble, and misunderstanding our instructions to call. Stetson Vice-President H. Graves Edmondson,
Jr. '50, my former apartment mate, had called the venerable Chancellor of the
University, Dr. J. Ollie Edmunds '25, to ask that he pick us up. Fortunately,
"Ollie" was not available, and we were met by a Stetson security guard, James
"Skeeter" Thompson '76 of Savannah. "Skeeter's" MG was too small for us together
with luggage so Betty found a ride with Bryan Gillespie, Professor of English,
and his wife Annette. Skeeter and I talked of Lambda Chi Alpha—whose fraternity
house was next door to my rooming house in my early days at Stetson.
None of you have asked of my success with my yard, but I report nevertheless.
The glads were a disaster, and the day lilies show little activity, but the grass
looks pretty good. The major result of my work seems to be that my mulch pile is
now the highest point in DeLand with the exception of the College Arms Towers.
- 1
