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STETSON-LETTER
VOL 3. NO. 2
STETSON UNIVERSITY, DeLAND, FLORIDA
JANUARY, 1955
FIRE
DESTROYS
COMMONS
; BAPTISTS
BEGIN CAMPAIGN
TO REBUILD IT
$250,000 Sought by Easter Sunday for New and Larger Building
Stetson is cooperating to the fullest extent with the
Florida Baptist Convention in the $250,000 fund campaign to
rebuild and enlarge the Commons which was destroyed by
fire on December 21.
Stetson representatives have been appointed on all committees and the full forces of the University family—administration, faculty, students, and alumni—are being recruited
for the all-out effort Easter Sunday to reach the goal set by
the State Board of Missions.
This means that in addition to the 369,294 Baptists of
1,038 churches in the state, 125 members of the administration and faculty, 1,300 students and approximately 9,000
alumni are in the fight-to-finish campaign to have a new
and enlarged dining room on the campus at the earliest possible date.
Architectural plans are being drawn to make the food
services buildings a part of a great student center—answering the needs of the students for a student union building.
The decision to enter the campaign came after members
of the Florida Baptist Convention Institutions and Survey
Committee inspected the loss and conferred with President
Edmunds. As a result of this conference, the committee
recommended an immediate campaign of special gifts and
an Easter offering in every church in Florida to meet the
campus need.
The Mission Board was unanimous in authorizing the
campaign and named Dr. Harold G. Sanders of Tallahassee,
immediate past president of the convention, to head the
drive. Dr. Sanders named Doyle I. Carlton, Merritt Island,
chairman, and Dr. Edmunds as co-chairman of the special
gifts committee. Dr. Earl Edington, St. Petersburg, was
named chairman, and Dr. O. LaFayette Walker, DeLand, as
co-chairman of the speakers committee. The Rev. J. R. White,
of Jacksonville, was chosen chairman, and Dr. Claude M.
Almand, DeLand, co-chairman of the promotion committee.
Dr. Millard J. Berquist, Tampa, chairman, and Joe
McClain, co-chairman, student participation committee. Dr.
Earl Stallings, Ocala, chairman and Dr. William H. McEniry, co-chairman, of the faculty participation committee.
Dr. McEniry found press of other business so great that his
resignation was accepted. Another co-chairman will be
named.
Dr. James W. Parrish, Miami, and G. E. "Eddie" Gilliland, are chairman and co-chairman respectively of the Stetson alumni committee. Gus Johnson, Jacksonville, and Blan
Taylor, DeLand, are chairman and co-chairman of the publicity committee.
A special appeal to all Stetson alumni is being prepared
and the campaign will be conducted by mail. With the letter,
each alumnus will receive a special campaign envelope for
his gift. Complete instructions for returning the envelope
and the gift will be included in the letter.
Already several checks have been received and the
$75,000 check for insurance will be credited to the campaign
fund.
THE JOY OF GIVING
Read Dr. King's Inspiring Letter to His Daughter on Page 8
