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Authors seeks appreciation of UF through new book
SPEAKERS WROTE “HONORING THE PAST, SHAPING THE FUTURE.”
By Lisa Marino jcuster@alligator.org
Alligator Contributing Writer
Describing the first business established in 1906 on University Avenue, Uncle Dud's College Inn, where students first bought beer kegs and liquor, Carl Van Ness compared student life throughout the history of UF during the 2003 Florida Frontiers Lecture Series.
In celebration of UF' s 150th anniversary, Van Ness and Kevin McCarthy reflected on the history of the university in hopes to spark the same deep appreciation they now have toward UF after co-authoring the book, “Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future.”
“I hope that readers of the book appreciate the long history of the university, the diversity of the population and the long struggle it took to get here,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said the most rewarding part of writing the book is being able to share everything he has learned with other people.
Van Ness got a rise out of the audience of mainly students as he told about the first unofficial student groups, one of which was called I Tappa Keg.
One of the most significant student groups, which is said to have contributed the name “Gators,” was the Bo Gator Club.
“Gators” was officially given to the football team, supposedly by football team Captain Neal “Bo Gator” Storer, in 1911.
Along with the history of mascots and partying, McCarthy touched on the significance of integrating women and blacks into the university.
“The most intriguing part of UF' s history is that we accepted women before many others,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said that UF has a history of being more liberal than other universities.
In 1913, co-educational summer school allowed women to take a few limited courses offered at UF, and by 1920, UF had its first female graduate, Mary Alexander Daiger.
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