Stetson Letter 1954-3-1

STETSON-LETTER VOL 3. NO. 1 STETSON UNIVERSITY, DeLAND, FLORIDA NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1954 Biggest & Best Homecoming Planned Oct 22-24 Homecoming 1954, designed to be the biggest and finest Homecoming Stetson has ever had, will be observed this year October 22, 23, and 24. There is something special in store for every graduate and former student who returns to the campus during this period of celebration. There are 24 events scheduled for Saturday, October 23. Spare time, rather than something to do, will be at a premium. Some of the major events—things everyone will be interested in—include the parade, convocation, barbecue, football game, open house in the new men's residence halls and the unveiling of plans for the new residence halls for women. For special groups, there will be breakfasts, class reunions of the classes of 1904, 1929, 1939 and 1949, and other events. The 1927 football team, one of the finest ever produced at Stetson, will be the special guests of their coach, Herbert R. McQuillan, who returned to Stetson this year as head coach of the Hatters. The team members will be at the pep rally Friday night, will sit on the field with the team at the game against Wofford on Saturday, and will have a dinner at the Commons Saturday night. Plans for the Homecoming are in charge of DeLand chairman John Socash, alumni chairman Carroll T. "Spike" Welshinger and student Frank Slaughter. Walter E. Smith, president of the Alumni Association, and G. E. "Eddie" Gilliland, Director of Alumni Affairs, are spreading the word to the alumni in an effort to have a record number on the campus this year. "The old campus is really taking on that new look these days," Smith said, "and I am sure that you will want to see for yourself the substantial progress that is being made to make your Alma Mater one of the outstanding small independent universities in America. Stetson is definitely on the move and rapidly forging to the forefront among the truly fine Christian educational institutions of our time". Slaughter's student committte chairmen include Martin Stevens, Umatilla, ticket sales; John Westervelt, Umatilla, arrangements; Mark Hollis, Lakeland, publicity; Chuck Franson, Orlando, parade; Frank Hathaway, Racine, Wis., (Continued on Page 5) WANTED: 1,500 MEMBERS OF USA FOR 1954 Charles E. Merrill Gives $100,000; "American Studies" Chair Created A new liberal arts major course to be called "American Studies" was opened last month in a double barreled effort aimed at exposing "the false and stupid hypocrisies of the Communist movement, while teaching the development of American ideals and institutions. Creation of the new department was made possible through an initial $45,000 gift of Charles E. Merrill, directing partner of the nationwide brokerage and underwriting firm, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Beane. The trustees have agreed that it should be called the "Charles E. Merrill Chair of American Studies," president J. Ollie Edmunds stated at a special convocation in July. Before the term opened, an additional gift of $56,250 was received from Mr. Merrill for this department. "We intend American Studies to be come a part of the training of all those in our student body, especially those who are preparing to teach in the public schools," the president said. The new course will lead to a bachelor's and master's degree in American Studies. Planned primarily for prospective and in-service public school teachers, the curriculum will be built around American history and American literature. "Until the Communist threat is defeated, we want this course to afford a systematic comparison and contrast between the ways of life proposed by the United States and the Communists," Dr. Edmunds said. He further stated "we are confident that other business people will join in the new program by providing scholarships to make it possible for public school teachers to take advantage of the studies." The 1954 United Stetson Alumni Proxy Endowment Campaign will be successful if the enthusiasm of the class agents and a few early USA memberships can be taken as an indication of the alumni as a whole. In another story in this issue, brief quotations from alumni accepting appointment as class agents are listed. "We had almost 100 per cent acceptance to appointment as class agents," Walter E. Smith, president of the Stetson Alumni Association, said. "I was impressed not only by the acceptance but by the enthusiasm with which the appointments were received." This year, for the first time, the USA proxy endowment plan is set up under a class agent system. Each class agent is responsible for seeing or writing to ten of his or her classmates to ask them to become a member of United Stetson Alumni. "The first class agents cards had been out less than a week when the first subscription came in," said G. E. (Continued on Page 2) You've a Date October 22-24 to SEE STETSON ON THE MARCH