The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-04-07
Ross Sawyer
Attends Meet
OF Alumni
Lake City Session
Is Addressed By
Univ. OF Florida
President Miller

Ross c. Sawyer returned Sun
day from the meeting Of the
Alumni Association of the Univer-
sity of Florida at Lake City, which
was held on Friday, April 8.
The dedication OF a plaque and
the unwilling Of the marker to the
city of Lake City by Leland Hiatt,
executive secretary of the U. of
Fla. Alumni Association, was held
at Sis p. m. at the main north
gate Of the Veterans Administra-
tion Hospital. This was the home
Of the University before it was
moved to Gainesville.
DR.. j. Hills Miller, assisted by
Hiatt, unveiled the plaque.
Until 1904, the college at Lake
City was known as the Florida
Agricultural College, Sawyer said
when he was interviewed. That
year the school was, by a legis-
lative act, named the university
Of Florida At that time the pre-
sent University site at Gaines
vile was known as the East Flo
rida Seminary.
In 1905 another legislative act
moved the University of Florida
to Gainesville where il began OPP
Grating in September of 1905.
DR.. j. Hills Miller, present pre-
sident Of the University, was the
main speaker at the banquet held
in the Melrose Junior High School
Cafeteria by the Lake City Alum
nj Association. About 200 guests
attended the event.
DR.. Miller pointed out the i'm
portant role played by various
schools and colleges such as the
first one established at Ocala In
1853, the Florida Agricultural Col
lego, the South Florida Military
Academy at Barlow, and the East
Florida Seminary.
Among other important facts,
DR.. Miller called attention TO the
fact that in the five years that he
has been president OF the Univer-
sity, he had conferred more de-
grees than had been given before
in the entire history Of the insti-
tuition. The University's enroll
ment for the past few years has
been approximately 10000 stu
dents.
When Sawyer was a student at
the University in 1904 and 1905,
the enrolment was about 200. DR..
Miner predicted that BY 1860 the
enrolment will be at least Is 900.
Of his trip to the meeting, Saw.
yer said, ITO be able to meet
students you were at school with
almost a half century ago was in.
deed a treat.
He also attended on March 10,
20 and II the Centennial Celebra-
ton at the University at Gaines
vile at which one Of the big
events was the return Of General
Van Fleet who was professor Of
Military Science and head football
coach there in 1928 and 1924. AT
that reunion about fifteen mem
bers Of the football squads during
those years were rounded up. and
were honored, together with the
General. by the Alumni Associa-
Mon Of Gainesville at an outdoor
barbecue. This affair was attend
ed by about 600 guests.
While al Gainesville for the
Centennial Celebration. Sawyer al.
so attended the Annual Founders
Day reunion and banquet Of the
ri Kappa Alpha fraternity
Of which he is = member. The
Alpha Eta chapter Of pi Kappa
Alpha was chartered In 1904 at
the University al Lake City. AS
rule. four DC five members from
the years i9OA and 1905 get to-
gether each year Sawyer says
that he considers the fraternity
banquet a "lnustH on his calendar.