S0N UN,**
Stetson
Spring 1983
TS0N IjNlvt**
Vol. 11, No. 3 (USPS 990-560)
DELAND HALL
NAMED NATIONAL
HISTORIC SITE
DeLand Hall, the oldest building
in continuous use in higher
education in Florida, has been
listed officially on the National
Register of Historic Places, according to L. Ross Morrell, state
historic preservation officer with
the Florida Department of State.
The designation by the federal
government of DeLand Hall as a
national historic site is a follow-up
on the state of Florida's approval of
the building for listing in the
Florida Marker Program last year,
recognizing DeLand Hall as a site
of statewide historic note. DeLand
Hall's acceptance into these
registries denotes its national significance as a historic landmark.
"We are very pleased and
excited that DeLand Hall, Stetson's
oldest building, has been selected
for inclusion in the National
Register of Historic Landmarks,"
said President Duncan. "It is
especially appropriate for the
university as we celebrate our
Centennial Year this year and
shows us how our past, present and
future are linked as we begin our
second hundred years at Stetson."
DeLand Hall was constructed in
1884, as the first building on
campus, only a year after DeLand
Academy opened its doors. The
building was a multi-purpose facility, equipped with recitation
rooms, chapel, library, offices and
gymnasium. DeLand Hall was
built by Henry DeLand, the New
York baking soda magnate turned
Florida land developer.
DeLand Hall has been used
variously as a dormitory; an administration building; site of the music
and mathematics departments; a
kindergarten; a fraternity house; a
woman's residence hall; and the
home of the School of Music until
1969, when the music school
moved into the newly erected
Presser Hall. For several years
after that, DeLand Hall was the
headquarters of Stetson's speech
and theatre department.
The decision to completely
Please turn to page 5.
Presenting an official resolution of commendation to Stetson University are (left to right) Florida Secretary of State
George Firestone, Governor Bob Graham, State Attorney General Jim Smith and State Insurance Commissioner Bill
Gunter. Receiving the document are Pope A. Duncan, Dr. Robert McMillan, president of First Baptist Church of Tallahassee and a Stetson trustee, and H. Douglas Lee, Stetson vice president of planning and development.
100 Years of Service...
Florida Cabinet Commends Stetson
Stetson University was recently
recognized for its traditions of
excellence and spiritual emphasis
in higher education in an official
resolution of commendation by
Florida Governor Robert Graham
and the State Cabinet.
The resolution cites Stetson's
role in Florida educational history
as a contributor of many ' 'firsts" in
Florida education. These include
the first university in the Sunshine State, the first to admit
women as students, the first law
school in Florida, the first program
of early admission of exceptional
high school students, and
graduating the first woman law
school graduate in Florida who was
also the first licensed woman
attorney in the state. Also
mentioned was Stetson's selection
or a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa,
the nation's most prestigious
honorary society, in 1982, the first
private institution in Florida to be
so honored.
The resolution cited Stetson's
high caliber of administration and
faculty throughout its history, the
fact that the university is currently
in the midst of celebrating its
Centennial Year, and the many
outstanding achievements of Stetson graduates. The resolution
noted that Stetson alumni include
three American ambassadors, two
U.S. Cabinet officers, four
members of Congress, a member
of the United States Court of
Appeals, two Florida governors,
four justices of the Florida
Supreme Court, and the incumbent
state attorney general, Jim Smith.
Dr. Pope A. Duncan, president
of Stetson, and Dr. H. Douglas
Lee, Stetson's vice president for
planning and development, received the resolution document
from Governor Graham and
members of the Cabinet. Also
present at the ceremony was Dr.
Robert McMillan, pastor of First
Baptist Church of Tallahassee and
a member of Stetson University's
Board of Trustees.
' 'We are pleased and proud to be
honored by our State Cabinet with
this resolution, coming as it does
during Stetson's celebration of its
Centennial Year," said Dr. Duncan
upon receiving the resolution. He
noted that three incumbent
members of the Cabinet—Governor Graham, Attorney General
Smith and Commissioner of
Education Ralph Turlington—are
holders of honorary degrees from
Stetson University.
