Stetson Letter 1958-6-3

STETSON-LETTER VOL. 6 NO. 3 STETSON UNIVERSITY, DeLAND, FLORIDA MARCH, 1958 USA FUND GIVES $10,601 FOR SWIMMING POOL The proxy endowment fund of United Stetson Alumni, which has meant much in the improvement of the quality of education at Stetson since it was adopted by the Stetson Alumni Association, this year is making a dream come true for alumni and students alike. A large percentage of the gifts this year have been and arc being designed for a swimming pool, a project first advocated in The Stetson Newsletter in 1947 when J. P. Simmons, of Miami, was president of the Alumni Association and J. M. Albritton, Jr. was executive secretary. Plans for AAU approved pools arc being studied and the most desirable campus location is being sought. It is hoped that actual construction will begin during or immediately after lhe spring semester. This years proxy endowment fund now stands at $13,002.20 from 294 contributors. Of this amount $10,601.11 has been designated for the pool. Last year, 1,000 alumni gave $49,658 in the USA campaign, representing $998,159.80 in endowment. Just as the Alumni Association president in 1947 worked for the pool, so is the present president, James Y. Arnold, Jr., of Palm Beach, one of the strongest backers of the project. His gill started the USA fund for the pool and, to date, it has been the largest one made. Even with the small amounts of money which have been raised in the past, and with the designated gifts in this year's USA campaign, a considerable amount must yet be provided. Members of the Stetson Student Government Association arc keenly interested in the project and have been talking with alumni and friends of the University seeking additional contributions for the fund. Members of the Women's Physical Education Department have "carried the torch" for the swimming pool since 1936. In a period of five years, this department raised almost $1,000 by giving horse shows, carnivals, pageants, and personal solicitations. Swimming instruction has been given at Ponce DeLeon Springs. In 1941, the student body campaigned actively for a pool and from year to year since that time many designs have been studied and plans have been made, but it looks like the project this year is well on its way—that is, if more proxy endowment pledges are made and designated for this fund. SUMMER PROGRAM TO STUDY NEEDS OF GIFTED CHILD By A. F. TUTTLE, JR. and HARLAND C. MERRIAM Arc superior high school juniors ready for college? Arc superior high school seniors ready for advanced college work? How can schools deepen and intensify the learning of superior students? How can colleges and high schools work together to insure the best progress for students capable of successful col lege work? These are some of the questions which Stetson University will be attempting to answer next August at the end of its first Slimmer Program for Early Admission and Advanced Placement. On June 15 Stetson will enroll up to 100 of the most able high school juniors and seniors in the southeast in an eight weeks program of intensive study in order to screen the students to determine their readiness for cither early admission (for juniors) or advanced placement (for seniors) in college. The students will be given a daily five-hour instructional program consisting of two hours of English, two hours of mathematics, and one hour of developmental reading. Classes will meet five days a week, with conferences and other group meetings scheduled for Saturday. Each of the students will have been hand- picked, that is, each will have been recommended by his high school counselor and/or principal and two of his present teachers; he will have taken the College Entrance Examination Board Scholastic Aptitude, and English and Mathematics Achievement Tests. He will have been personally interviewed. Each student must have demonstrated superior achievement in high school. At the end of eight weeks the program staff will determine which of these students should gain early admission or advanced standing in a college program. These students may enroll at Stetson or other colleges of their choice. Other juniors may elect to return to their high school for an additional year at home before proceeding to college. For some students, this will be recommended. By taking additional senior year work in their own high schools, they can prepare themselves to take the Advanced Placement Tests, given by the College Entrance Exain- (Continued on Page 12) Come to Commencement This Year . IN ST. PETERSBURG ON MAY 30; IN DeLAND - JUNE 1