| 
On January 6, 1853, Florida Governor Thomas Brown signs
the bill that provided public support to higher education.
East Florida Seminary in Ocala is one of the first schools
to use this funding, but it soon closes due the
Civil War. In 1866, EFS reopens in Gainesville, beginning
a 150-year journey to become one of the largest, most
prestigious schools in the world.
|
1853 » East Florida Seminary Created
East Florida Seminary in Ocala is created in response
to public funds being used to support higher education.
EFS will later combine with Florida Agricultural College,
St. Petersburg Normal and Industrial School and South
Florida Military College to become the University of the
State of Florida, one of four state universities. |
|
1861-1865 » Civil
War Closes East Florida Seminary
Legend has it that all of the faculty and male students
of military age serve in some capacity in the service
of the Confederacy. |
 |
1866 » East
Florida Seminary Moves To Gainesville
EFS is housed in what later will become the Methodist
Church on Northeast First Street in Gainesville. One of
the original buildings, Epworth Hall, is still in use
today and displays a marker signifying its importance
to the Gainesville community. |
 |
1884 » Florida
Agricultural College Opens
Florida's first land grant college opens in Lake City.
Gainesville was originally selected as the site for the
new school but could not fulfill its financial obligations.
The college site is then moved to Eau Gallie but politics
play a part in moving the site once more — to Lake
City. |
 |
1903 » College
Named University Of Florida
Florida Agricultural College changes its name to University
of Florida for a short time. The Buckman Act of 1905 abolishes
all state-supported schools to consolidate them. UF becomes
the University of the State of Florida until 1909 when
the name is shortened to University of Florida. |
 |
1904 » Sledd
Appointed First UF President
Andrew Sledd is selected as the president of the University
of Florida at Lake City. In 1905, Sledd is chosen to be
the first president of the new Univesity of the State
of Florida. Sledd's appointment as president is entwined
in state politics, however. Many believe his standards
for the school are too high and that he overlooks the
benefits of athletics. He is forced to resign after Governor
Albert Gilchrist's inauguration in 1909. |
 |
1905 » Buckman
Act
With the public support of higher education, seven co-educational
schools have opened. The Buckman Act consolidates these
schools to one for white males (UF), one for white females
(FSU), one for African-Americans (FAMU) and one school for
the deaf and blind. |
 |
| |
|
