STETSON-LETTER
VOL. 9, NO. 3
STETSON UNIVERSITY, DELAND, FLORIDA
MARCH, 1961
LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION TO START
ACADEMIC BUILDING PROGRAM
A construction program of Stetson University academic buildings to begin immediately has been approved
by the University's Board of Trustees, President J. Ollie
Edmunds announced in his "State of the University"
address at Homecoming.
The Stetson Board has directed that an architect
proceed immediately to provide working drawings for
a new University Library and to report at the Trustees'
June meeting, Edmunds said.
The president reported that, since the launching of
the University's Diamond Jubilee fund campaign in
1958, Stetson has received in gifts a total of $2,873,000.
A considerable portion of this amount was for current operations but "we have $780,000 in available funds
to begin work now on construction of the first unit of
the library," Edmunds declared.
In addition to the $780,000 ready for the library
start, more than $300,000 has been added to the endowment fund and more than $300,000 has been received
in special gifts, he added.
Edmunds said it was the earnest hope of Trustees
that before construction on the library is completed,
work will have begun on the Science Center and before
that is completed, that construction will also have
started on a Fine Arts Center.
In fact, Edmunds declared, the University hopes that
construction work will not stop from now on until "we
have met all of the critical needs of Stetson University's
dedicated faculty."
Edmunds noted that educators accept Stetson University as one of the finest small universities in the
country. However, "No other University in the South
offering such outstanding academic work has such inadequate facilities," he said.
He noted that Stetson is paying its faculty "the lowest salaries," and marveled that when the new junior
colleges in Florida opened up, "not one member of our
faculty left to go with this group." Although many have
been offered high posts, higher salaries, and modern
laboratories, Edmunds said the faculty stays on because
of their faith in the University.
"Unless we all resolve to do something, we can't ask
these dedicated people to stay here with inadequate
tools," he declared.
A residence problem developed last fall, Edmunds
said, pointing out that already the University has twice
the number of applicants seeking admission this fall
than last year.
Vowing that the University will do the best it can
with the facilities it has, Edmunds asked, "But how can
you say that one student can come and another can't?"
(Continued on p. 3)
DR. CAMPBELL VISITS
Dr. Doak Campbell, president
emeritus of Florida State University,
made a three-day visit to the De-
Land campus in February as the
representative for the Education
Commission of the Florida Baptist
Convention.
Campbell is seeking answers to
the following questions listed in the
annual report of the Education Commission:
1. Our [Florida Baptist Convention] present support of Stetson
University, and ways we can lead
our convention and our people to
increase this support.
2. How well are Baptists meeting
the needs of Christian higher education in Florida?
CAMPUS FOR F.B.C.
3. What are the needs in order
to make the present program more
effective?
4. Is there need for expanding
the program through the establishment of one or more junior colleges
or senior colleges in Florida?
5. In the event the need for expansion is demonstrated, what locations should be considered for
expansion? What criteria should be
applied?
6. What financial support should
be developed by Florida Baptists for
the support of Christian higher education?
Dr. Campbell estimates that a
final report will be ready by June,
so that the Education Commission
Dr. Doak Campbell
can present it to the State Board of
Missions and the Convention in the
fall.
SEE CENTER SPREAD OF HOMECOMING PICTURES, pp. 70-77.
