a brief view
click on any of the images below to view at full size
Front page of the Florida Alligator "The Southeast's Leading College Daily" (Motto: 'To let the people know') Thursday, 25 January 1968 One of the headline stories discusses the proposed 1968 constitution, which was eventually approved by the student body a few days later at the general election (Spring Elections used to be held in Late January or Early February) |
Before the Florida Alligator became completely independent of the university, it regularly published news briefs from each Greek-letter Organization that so desired it. (16 Feb 1968) |
1968 Gainesville featured much racial-based conflict, reflective of the nation-at-large. J.W. Reitz was preparing to resign as University President, and Justice Stephen C. O'Connell would enter a community already faced with strife. Segregation was dying out completely from the South, but the above Alligator column is an example of an emotional white reaction to the transition of the old south caused by federal desegregation. (19 Feb 1968) |
The ballot for the Spring 1968 election. Under the constitution then, the Clerk of the Honor Court was elected, the Senate was called the "Legislative Council" comprised of 70 members, and the Lyceum Council was an elected version of what eventually evolved into Accent & Student Government Productions (SGP). Cabinet positions (not shown) were named after State positions (The "Secretary of the Interior" was one Student cabinet position). There were only 10 cabinet directors at all until SG President Buddy Jacobs in 1966 more than doubled the number to 22. |
