Stetson Letter 1957-5-2

/ <I STETSON-LETTER VOL. 5, No. 2 STETSON UNIVERSITY, DeLAND, FLORIDA JANUARY, 1957 NATIONAL HONORS GIVEN STETSON PRESIDENT Dr. Rice Gives Planetarium to Stetson University A planetarium for study of the constellations has been given to Stetson by Dr. Laban Lacy Rice, Orlando educator, luthor and lecturer. The planetarium, manufactured by Dr. Armand Spitz, projects the heavenly bodies on a dome 20-feet in diameter. Operated mechanically, a full display of the sun, moon, stars and planets in a twenty-four hour period is shown in about six minutes. The device may be stopped at any position for detailed study. Approximately 40 people can witness the display at one time. Dr. Rice gave the initial lecture and succeeding ones are being presented by Dr. John V. Vaughen, Prof. Emmett Ashcraft, and other members of the faculty. Public school classes and interested parties have visited Monroe Heath Museum to hear the lecture and witness the display. This planetarium was last used three years ago as Rice Planetarium in St. Petersburg. After a year, Dr. Rice abandoned the project and this spring he offered to give it to Stetson. His offer was readily accepted as Stetson had for several years needed such equipment to expand courses in astronomy and make available this study for interested persons and groups. Dr. Rice, born October 14, 1870, in (Continued on Page 2) 0 Annual Open House Set for February 3 An informal open house for the parents of Stetson University students will be held Sunday, February 3. This is the day before classes resume for the Spring Semester and many parents accompany students to De- Land on this date. Dr. Edmunds and Dr. Arthur G. Coons, president of Occidental College in Los Angeles, look over a program of the Association of American Colleges following the election of Dr. Edmunds as president of the Association to succeed Dr. Coons. Stetson Remembered In Merrill Will Stetson University is a partner in the investment firm of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Beane by provisions of the will of Charles E. Merrill, investment broker and distinguished alumnus, who died in October. He was in the academy in the early 1900's and in 1946 received an honorary degree at Stetson. Stetson will receive three percent of the income from the $5,500,000 trust after certain stipulated gifts are made. The trust is a special partner in the brokerage firm which, through Mr. Merrill's business acumen, put Wall Street on Main Street by selling stocks in chain-store brok- (Continued on Page 3) Dr. Edmunds Named President of Assn. of American Colleges A signal honor to President Edmunds and to Stetson University came in mid- January with his election to the presidency of the Association of American Colleges at the organization's forty-third annual session in Philadelphia. Dr. Edmunds is the first president of a Florida college or university to be accorded this honor. He also is the first Southern Baptist to be elected. He succeeds Dr. Arthur G. Coons, president of Occidental College of Los Angeles, California. Dr. Edmunds served last year as vice-president, the previous year as treasurer and for two previous years as a member of the board of directors. His election came following a report of the chairman of the nominating committee, the Rev. Farther Joseph R. N. Maxwell, president of Boston College and himself a former AAC president. Other officers elected include William W. White- house, president of Albion College in Michigan, vice president, and treasurer. Theodore A. Ristler is executive secretary of the organization which has as members 90 percent of the four-year liberal arts colleges and universities in the United States. The organization maintains its national headquarters in Washington. Dr. Edmunds, since he accepted the Stetson presidency in 1948, has frequently received national recognition because of his positive stand in behalf of the private colleges of the nation. He has devoted a great amount of time to presenting the needs of private colleges to the large corporations which are now giving financial support to these independent institutions of higher learning. Alumni in the vicinity of Philadelphia (Continued on Page 2) HAVE YOU GIVEN TO THE 1957 UNITED STETSON PROXY ENDOWMENT FUNDI