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SAMUEL PROCTOR ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM at
the University of Florida.
St. Lucie Tape #5f
C.S. Miley
August 20, 1968
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So far this evening I've been getting along real well. I've accomplished
three things that I've been trying to accomplish for a long time. I have
been trying to get Harry Schultz to come to one of our meetings, and I find
he 's here tonight, and I've been longing for a long time to have him on
one of our programs and I want you to know that two months, the second
Tuesday in October we'll visit with Harry Schultz and I'm quite sure he'll
do all right. And I've been trying to get Mr. Miley to talk to ls about
the Junior College. And he is here with us tonight. I'm not going to
tell you how long I've known Mr. Miley because if I do, and you add and
subtract a little bit you can make out how old he is and how old I am.
And I'm not going to tell you except that I've known him a long time.
And I'll say this in his behalf, that I don't outside of my family
anyone that knows more about me and what I'Ve been doing ih the last
few years, in the turn of the century around, anymore than Mr. Miley.
And if he hadn't been a good friend, you all would've known a whole
lot more about me than you do, and I appreciate that. I also want you to
know that I watch over through the years numbers of projects started in
this county. Some good, some not so good, some stayed with us and some
didn't. jBut the thing that we have need all through the years, and at
the proper time I think at about eight years ago, a junior college started
in Fort Pierce. I think it was a thing that was the mest needed and
sincerely I believe that of all my experiences here that nothing has ever
happened that has ever done more for St. Lucie County than our junior
college. And along with that I can't help but give credit to those
whosecredit is due. And I don't know all of them, but I do know that
Mr. Miley as chairman of that board and his committee, plus Dr.
St. Lucie Tape # 5
C.S. Miley
August 20, 1968
Page 2
King and then Brian and Charles Sample, they have built, I think,
something that is really worthwhile. I think tha credit should go to
where it is due. I'm going to ask Mr. Miley to tell you, if he will,
about our junior college. I want you to remember that Mr. Miley, I
don't know whether if it hadn't been for Mr. Miley, we'd been as far as
long as we are. It is now my pleasure to introduce to you Mr. Charles
S. Miley. And his wife will get introduced after he'-4-through.
Miley: Folks, it gives me great pleasure to appear before you tonight
to speak about the junior college. In fact, if you mention junior
college I can't help but speak wherever I am or under what ill conditions
may be. The junior college is my first love. I work at the newspaper
to make a living, but if I didn't have to make a living I would be at
the junior college most of the time, I imagine. Now before I start into
my talk, I want to thank you all for this privilege of being here tonight
and to talk about the junior college. Because it is your junior college.
It is our junior college. And I want to express my appreciation of all
the support and work that Mr. Saunders has done through the years on
behalf of this college. He has been one of our most loyal supporters
in and out of the legislature. And I do want to say that Maxwell King,
we knew him as Mr. Junior College in the four county area. He was beloved
by all of us. He did a wonderful work out there. But I do want to say
also that what we have coming up the first of next month, a man who we
believe will be a top notch, first class, successful president to
carry on the work in the traditions that Max has established and carried
on so wonderfully during these eight years. And I do want to pay tribute
also to Ben Braun a nd the county school board and every school board in
this four county area. We have found them one hundred per cent cooperative
St. Lucie Tape #5
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on every occasion. For anything that ever benefitted the junior college,
they were all a part. Now, to get down to my little talk for the afternoon,
it's divided into three parts--three phases of the junior college program.
First, the concept of the junior college program in Florida; secondly ,
the program in the state; third, what it all means to us. And so I shall
proceed, and I trust that my talk may be informative as well as interesting.
There are three main objectives in the junior college system. First, is
to provide two years of academic, liberal arts training for the high school
graduate, or for the person who has the equivalent of a high school
education, we offer two years of college level training and study in our
junior college. When a young man or woman has graduated from our junior
college, he is fitted and able to go on to any university or college in
the state, or for that matter, practically for any in the South, __here
"-wa4-- begin his junior year in that institution. And I might say right
here that those who have gone on, for the most part, have made a great
success of it. We have had some outstanding students from this college
in our higher colleges and universities in this and other states. We are
trul proud of them all. That is the first objective of the junior college
program. Another objective relates to those of our young people who dropped
out of high school, or who for some reason have never had the privilege and
opportunity of a high school education. The junior college objective in
relation to this class is to train them to hold down a job, to make
better citizens in the community, to be able to takercare of themselves,
to be able to contribute to the society or the community, the state and
to the nation. In other words, we are prepared to give them a vocational
or technical training, two years of it, ;. practically any subject that you
might approach. We provide this instruction in any subject where we can
St. Lucie Tape #5
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eight or tan or fifteen people interested. It ranges all the way from
cosmetology to kindergarten to waitresses, to nurse training. A young
woman or man, as you may know, can pick a two year course in nurse
training here and qualify for the state examination, through our junior
college. That is a second chief objective of the junior college program.
Now the third in which many of you have participated and some of whom have
been instrumental in planning such instruction if the adult education
program. You would be surprised how many adults are interested in
carrying on or going back and taking up some subjects which they never
h ad the opportunity to study at any length before. That ranges all the
way from painting on to the numerous arts and through history, psychology,
almost any subject that you could bring up. We are prepared at the junior
college to provide that instructionW anywhere, anytime, within the four
college area where a class can be authorized to take such instruction.
And we have had many, many people take various and You can't
go out to the junior college anytime day or night, scar cely that y&u don't
find the campus filled with cars and the classrooms filled with classes
taking this, that and other instruction of various and kind. Let me
say also that there are many advantages in myopinion in the junior college
program. One is the financial aspect. For as much as three hundred dollars
maximum, any student can attend the full tow-semester year at our junior
college taking a complete course of studies and participating in all the
activities of the college purchasing, buying his books and other
supplies that might be necessary for three hundred dollars. Now can you
imaginewhat that means to many of our boys and girls? And fathers and
mothers, too. I'm sure that some of us can, but, for three hundred dollars
per year we are prepared to offer him and give him two years of college level
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training and education. You can't beat that anywhere. You know as well as
I do that to send a boy or girl away, out of home to college, no matter
where it is, Tallahassee, Boca Raton, Gainesville, what have you. It
would cost you a thousand or twelve hundred dollars. Now, that is the
financial end of it. Let me say right here, too, that this college has
never turned down one single individual who wanted to tend that institution
who was prepared to carry on the work there. In other words there are
ample scholarships, Federal loans and campus work opportunities for
him to earn all or part of the cost for attending out college. And nowhere
student has ever been denied permission to attened our junior college and
as long as I have anything to do with it he will never be denied such an
opportunity. That is just one of the advantages. Now there is another
advantage which can't be measure from the money angle and I'm sure that
along with me you will recognize its importance also. That is the fact
that by keeping a young man or young woman home an extra two years he
learns much at home, he becomes much more mature, he becomes better
prepared to leave home toattend a college at an out of town place than
he could possibly be when he comes out of high school. For our students
who enter our higher institituins, for instance today I noticed that the
University of Florida expects twenty thousand pupils next year. Well suppose
one of our boys goes there, at the University of Florida, to the University
of Florida. There he is merely a number, or maybe he just isn't even a
number even at that. But here he has an advantage of being at home, He has
the advantage of paternal supervision. He has the advantage of a commuter
life and so many other advantage of that nature until I think they far
outweigh any financial advantage that we could possibly-make. That much
for the general layout of our college program. Now, the college program
for th
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in Florida was started barely ten years ago. About twelve years ago
we had four junior colleges operating in Florida, all privately or
county operated. There was no state system of junior colleges. About that
time some of our leading educators became interested in extending the
junior college program. And so in 1955 the legislature established what
was known as a Community College Council, first setting stage before one
of the most remarkable educational developments in the history of Florida,
and for that matter, in the nation. Because many states are now copying
the Florida plan for the junior college program, and we are one of the
leading states in the union in the junior college work, surpasses only,
I believe, by the state of California, which has had junior colleges
for many years. In 1955 the state took over these four or five junior
colleges in existence and the legislature authorized the establishment
of six more colleges. Since that time each legislature has authorized
one or two or three colleges practically every time the legislature has
been in regular session. Today we had twenty six junior colleges in
Florida. Now, here is the big point about it. With the establishment of
one more college, which is now scheduled to open in the fall Florida will
have provided two-year college facilities, the adult programs, the vocational-
t technical opportunity to ninety nine and six tenth percent of every person
in Florida. I think that is one of the greatest things that has ever happened
to the state in an educational way. Ninety nine and six tenth per cent. In
other words, ninety nine and six tenth of our boys and girls can stay at
home and attend college. You can't imagine how much that means to so many
people, or maybe you can, because there just couldn't be anyAset up, I don't
believe anywhere, than such a set up as that. And let me say that today in
these twenty six junior colleges we have enrolled approximately a hundred
twenty five or thirty thousand students. Now here's something that might
surprise you. Sixty per cent of all the boys and girls who are enrolled in
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this colleges in Florida or are enrolled in a junior college as freshmen.
Can you believe that? Well, that us, that's what they tell us. As I
mentioned a moment ago, the Florida plan has spread through out the nation.
Practically in every state they are establishing junior college programs.
That is one reason why we find it so difficult in Florida to keep good
firstLclass presidents and other executives. The competition is so high
until these other states just simply raid us and take some of our top
class executives and presidents from us every year. Many years ago now
I've come down to a little bit local situation, more and more personal.
So I hope you will pardon my pride because I really am proud. I can
very well remember in the years gone by, I became interested in this junior
college business many years ago. But upon seeing so many of our fine
young men and women just out of high school just forgetting any farther
formal education whatever. In other words, when they finished their high
school, that was it. They got a job in a filling station or a drug store
and there we got, got married and what have you and so on and that was the
end of everything as far as a formal education was concerned. Now it takes
many years sometimes for a seed to come up. You got to plant it. You got
to cultivate it. You got to water it. You got to hoe it. You got to
dream. But eventually they do come up. In 1957, Ben our county c
superintendent who just then was taking roll, I believe, he designated
Maxwell King to make a survey of four county area to ascertain what prospects
there might be of supporting a junior college in the matter of enrollment and
need and benefit to the area. Max made that survey and it was_
ANd so with the blessings of the state education department we went before
the county commission and the school board and asked them to pledge for the
first years operation of that college, Vsome, which at that time ,I believe,
St. Lucie Tape #5
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was five thousand two hundred and eighty dollars. You might be surprised and
chagrin to learn that we did not get the pledge. So, two years later
Mr. King made a supplementery survey in the area to bring the 1957 survey
up to date and it is pointed more strongly than ever to the need and the
possibilities of a junior college in this area. And so we went back to
he school board. We had a sympathetichear;at that time. Meanwhile
Harry who was at that time senator in the Legislature
had passed a bill which split the race track funds between the county and
the school board and from the county protion, from the school board portion
of that money, they pledged what then amounted to eight thousand dollars
ard something as this county's part in support of a junior college
program to be established here. And so our junior college was designated
to be, the area to be composed of St. Lucie Indian River, Martin, and
Ockeechobee Counties, the four county area. We began, we ope ned the
college in September of 1960 and there's many of you remember they were
first accomodated for the first two or three years in some temporary
buildings out there on the campus of Fort Pierce Elementery School, to the
former high school and former school. And so we operated
there in a way, and it was in a way, for some two or three years and then
we played plans for the construction of,(I want you to stay. My wife has
another meeting to attend. She's not leaving just because I'm talking.
But she has another meeting.) The city was good enough to give us as
a campus for this junior college the old dump. I'm sure you remember that.
And it was a dump. There was three or four feet of broken glass and tin
cans, and automobile parts and everything else like that scattered over
that area. But we were glad to get it. We went in there, sixty five
acres it was at that time which -t has been expanded from. at this time.
St. Lucie Tape #5
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And there we built the first building and have been going ahead ever since.
Now let me see that in our first year of operation we had a hundred and
fifty nine students, full time. The first student enrolled in our junior
college was young lady by the name of Anne Cari--C-A-R-I. You might
be interested to learn that she had just completed her Ph. D. degree in
Ohio University in the subject of biology. All right now, during the eight
intervening years since this college opened in 1960, some six thousand young
boys and girls have gone through its doors. Approximately six and, that
is for full time equivalent students, there have been two or three thousand
additional part time students. And goodness knows how many in the adult
training program. We estimate there must have been at least ten thousand in
the adult program since that time. Approximately six hundred students have
been graduated by the college during this period. Next year we expect to
have at least twelve hundred full time equivalent students, plus a good many
part time, and of course there will still be a large enrollment in the
adult program. During our first year of operation we had twelve instructors
and we thought we done right good. Today we have sixty two professional
vWe VA'Je
instructors.,-nd thirty five non-professional personnel. OUr physical plant
on the campus with this equipment is valued around three million dollars.
The total payroll for next year will be nine hundred and sixty four, a hundred
and thirteen dollars. The total budget for the coming year including all
salaries, operation expenses, and everything else of that nature will be
one million, seven hundred and ninety four thousand. One million, seventy
hurdred and ninety four thousand. Now when you think that
a little over eight ten years ago we had difficulty in getting a pledge
of eight thousand dollars to carry on this institution for the first
year you might very well agree with me that since that time we've come
a pretty good ways in having a total salary there of nearly a million dollars
St. Lucie Tape #5
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a year and a budget of a million and seven hundred and ninety four thousand.
I believe that's doing pretty good. Now let me say right there so that
y ou don't get uneasy at tax payers, that practically all of this money
comes from state and federal sources. The participating counties
contribute only five per cent of the minimum foundation program. And
let me tell you what it will be in each of those four counties. In
St. Lucie County we will contribute for the minimum foundation program
the sum of seventy thousand seven hundred and sixty seven dollars.
Martin County will contribute thirty four thousand eight hundred and
sixty eight. Indian River will contribute forty nine thousand five hundred
ninety nine. Ockeechobee wil contribute seventeen thousand four hundred and
forty six. And so, don't you think that we're getting a pretty good
bargain for the money we are putting into this institution? I sure do and
I know that you do. Now let me take another lttle look at the participation
of these four counties in the matter of student enrollment. Indian River
County last year had two hundred and sixty five full time students. Martin
County had a hundred and nineteen. Ockeechobee County had fifty five. St.
Lucie had five hundred and six. Well those are some of the outstanding
figures and facts that I wanted to bring to your attention. I could keep
on talking here, goodness knows how long, but you'd probably get tire of
it. But let me wind up by just saying this. As I said on many occasions
before and I truly believe that our junior college here is one of the
greatest assets that we have in the four county area. It has done more for
our boys and girls in the way of education and providing them the opportunity
to earn a livelihood and to better themselves in the world ahead of
us, this jet age, than any other one thing that I know of. I believe and
I have said many times that I think it's one of the greatest things that
has ever happened to education. Not only here but through out the state
a nd wherever a community junior college is being put into operation. I
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truly believe that and I'm sure that you will agree with me. Now I do
w ant to say further that we do appreciate the cooperation of the people
of our own community, of the people of Indian River, Martin, and Ockeechobee
Counties also. And let me say this as I mentioned before that we have
had one hundred per cent cooperation in every facet of our operation from
all of these counties and I do believe that this junior college has
done more to cement the good relations between and among: these four
counties than anything else that has happened in recent yeats. Many of
you know that outside of Fort Pierce that Fort Pierce is not in too good,
a lot of people just didn't think too much of Fort Pierce. That was all
that became of Fort Pierce of the idea of the project that came of
Fort Pierce, they looked at it with some doubt. But I can tell you
that this junior college and the fact that the students have come here
from all the area, I do believe it has done more to cement, or build
up the good relations among the people of this area of all the things
that have happened in all the recent years. And I beliee that it has
done more to upgrade the cultural level, of the community and the people
than anything else that we have ever had. I have noted the remarkable
diff erence, a remarkable growth in the cultural level of this area.
So may people taking these adult courses, so many of our young people
going to school, so many of our young people learning a trade, and every-
thing of that sort, until frankly. I think it has been a great thing for
the entire community. And I know that you will join with me in the appreciation
of that fact. Now let me say again that we have coming to us as our
President, Dr. Herman D. of Pensacola, who I beleive is
going to make us one of the finest presidents that we could find in the
state. He has a wonderful personality, and he has a wonderful background
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and I'm sure that he is going to carry -on the fine work that Max King
started and carried on for eight years. And agian I do appreciate the
opportunity of appearing before you and I trust that my remarks have
given you some idea of what the junior college system is, how it's
set up and what it is doing. Thank you so much.
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