The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-02-18
Large Pavilion Will Be
Used For Class Rooms
and Boys Will Be Bill
leted in Homes of Pri-
vate Families In Clear
water


Clearwater, Fla, Feb. 1S.-Prompt
steps were taken today by authorities
OF Southern College, the Southern
Methodist institution, partly destroyed
by>-fire last nignt, TO insure the con-
tinuance of classes until May 81, when
the semester closes
DIR. r. H. Alderman, the president,
announced that five cottages have
been rented from L. B. Skinner for
use as boys dormitory and the upper
floor of dancing pavilion and Skin
ner Hall have been obtained for class
rooms. II necessary, he added, army
tents will also be used.
Glasses will be resumed Tuesday
the regular day, as Mondays are holi-
days at the school. The student body
today, voted unanimously for a con-
tinuation of the term in spite of the
disaster.
DR.. Alderman declared that "the
spirit of the students is one which fire
cannot burn nor foods wash away"
alluding to the three disasters which
have been experienced in the past
thirteen months. He estimated the
damage caused by the fire last night
at $4,000, less than half covered by
insurance The origin of the blaze
was still mystery today.
A delegation of college officials and
service organizations from Lakeland
and nearby places conferred with Dr.
Alderman today, suggesting the i'm
mediate removal of the school to
Lakeland, but earlier plans will be
adhered to, the president said.
A telephone message at noon from
DIR. r. H. Alderman. president of
Southern College, who talked from
Clearwater, the. temporary site of
the college, gave the information that
the institution will be maintained at
Clearwater for the remainder of the
term, despite the disastrous fire OF
last night which destroyed Roux Hall,
the boys domitory An unused pa
yilion will be pressed into service for
class rooms, and the boys have al
ready been billoted among private
families. In the meantime, bids will
be opened for the new college build
ings to be erected in Lakeland, and
the construction work will be pushed
as rapidly as possible.
Story Of the Fire
A Clearwater dispatch to the Tam
pa Tribune says:
In the second disastrous fire within
a little more than year, Southern
College, at Clearwater Beach, was
practically wiped out this evening.
Loss Is estimated at 100000, with
some insurance.
Seven Of the temporary frame build
ings occupied by the college were to-
tally destroyed, two other structures
being damaged. Much of the college
equipment, books and records, were
saved, as was most of the clothing
and personal property in the boys
dormitories, the first building to 60
So far as has been learned, no acci-
dents occurred during the fire.
The fire started during the supper
hour, probably from an overheated oil
Heater 10 room in one of the boys
41fmitory buildings. When discov-
8d It was spreading to other parts OF
the building. and within few min
atesb famed by strong wind, 1t had
spread to other structures. Absence Of
IRE fighting apparatus, and exhaustion
iof the water in tank fed from the
city water system Of Clearwater, made
efforts to combat the fire unavafling.
q Bur dings destroyed we're the boys
dormi ifories. the office building, and
the buildings In which the class-rooms
were located. The old Roux hotel
building was badly seorched but was
not destroyed.
Approximately 200 students, boys
and girls, now quite adept In coping
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