Homecoming - Class of 1974

Notable People of 1974

President Charles Tinsley Thrift, Jr. (1957-1976)

Dr. Charles Tinsley Thrift, Jr. was born in Kenbridge, Virginia on April 11, 1911 and raised in North Carolina. He received his B.A., M.A. and B.D. Degrees from Duke University, and by age 25, he had completed his PhD at the University of Chicago. He joined the religion faculty at Florida Southern in 1940 and was named vice-president in 1946. At the unexpected announcement of Dr. Spivey's retirement in 1957, Dr. Thrift was named acting President.

When Dr. Thrift was named President on December 16, 1957, he had been with the College for 18 years. During his 19-year presidency, the College received a multi-million-dollar gift in 1966 from the Buckner Estate, the Jenkins Field House was built, the new Roux Library was constructed, and the Ludd M. Spivey Humanities and Fine Arts Center and the Student Union Building were added to the campus. Intercollegiate sports gained national prominence and the international studies program was expanded. The Baseball team won the school's first NCAA Championship in 1971, repeating the win the following year. The Festival of Fine Arts began, and the College celebrated its first ever Homecoming as well as its Diamond Jubilee. It was also during these years that the College was called upon to negotiate the social and spiritual challenges of the campus "protest years," which included redefining "student freedom" and "academic freedom" for the campus family. At the time of Dr. Thrift's retirement on June 1, 1976, he had served the College for 36 years. During his tenure, he also published two books on the history of the College: Through Three Decades (1955) and Of Fact and Fancy at Florida Southern College (1979) in addition to multiple publications on the history of Methodism in Florida. Even after retirement, he continued to serve the school as Chancellor and had his office in The Miami, an old railcar that was brought to the school. Dr. Thrift passed away on May 25, 1984 at the age of 73.

Honorary Chancellor George W. English

George W. English (February 19, 1898 – January 28, 1993) was an accomplished attorney based out of the English, McCaughan & O’Bryan firm in Ft. Lauderdale. He served on the Board of Control of Florida Institutions of Higher Education and as the State Director of Miami’s Orange Bowl Committee. He was selected as chancellor for his dedicated service to public and private education in the state of Florida. He received an honorary Doctorate of Law from the College in 1974.

SGA President Dennis "Denny" Poling

Dennis "Denny" Poling is from Van Wert, Ohio. He was Secretary-Treasurer for his freshman class in 1970 and served a two-year term as the sophomore Senator-at-Large. He served as President of the Student Government Association in 1973. Poling was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha and was honored as Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Poling majored in Business Management. 

Sources:
“FSC Freshman Class Officers.” The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), October 21, 1970.
“Heads FSC Group.” The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), March 10, 1973. 
“Poling New SGA Head.” The Southern (Lakeland, Florida), February 23, 1973.
“Twenty Six FSC Seniors join Collegiate Who’s Who.” The Southern (Lakeland, Florida), December 7, 1973.

Honor Walk Recipient Colette Addair Tarver

Colette Addair Tarver was born in 1953 and is from Lakeland, Florida. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Eta, the Spanish Society, the History club, and was honored in Who’s Who at American Colleges and Universities. Addair obtained her bachelor's degree in government. She married Edward Tarver in 1975. She was a member of the Lakeland branch of the Needlework Guild of America. Tarver co-directed a children’s summer camp called Space Explorers in 1976. She owns an interior design company located in Lakeland, Florida called Finishing Touch.

Sources:
“Recreational Programs Due this Summer.” The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Florida), May 13, 1976. 
Tarver, Edward J. III and Addair, Colette M., marriage license, March 22, 1975, file no. 1975971339, Polk County Clerk of Courts. https://apps.polkcountyclerk.net/browserviewor/. 
“Tarver-Addair.” The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Florida), April 6, 1975.
Toothman, Mary. “Clothes for Needy Children is Goal of Group.” The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), September 17, 1984.
“Twenty Six FSC Seniors join Collegiate Who’s Who.” The Southern (Lakeland, Florida), December 7, 1973.
“Two Students Cited in Who’s Who.” The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Florida), November 25, 1973. 
“Unstoppable at 57.” The Ledger (Lakeland, Florida), April 25, 2005.

Miss Southern Pam Geiger

Pam Geiger is from Clearwater. She was a member of and former President of Alpha Chi, a member of the student Supreme Court, in ROTC, captain of the varsity cheerleaders, was honored as Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, and a member of Cap and Gown. She graduated from Florida Southern with her bachelor’s in physical education and then went to the University of South Florida to obtain her master’s in guidance and counseling. She was a PE teacher at Gibbs High School and was on the St. Petersburg Masters swim team.

 Sources:
“Cap and Gown Taps Ten.” The Southern (Lakeland, Florida), February 8, 1974. 
“Founder Week at FSC Opens.” The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida), February 21, 1974. 
“Twenty Six FSC Seniors join Collegiate Who’s Who.” The Southern (Lakeland, Florida), December 7, 1973.
Wells, Jack. “Teacher Runs to Stay in the Swim of Things.” Tampa Bay Times (Tampa, Florida), January 31, 1982. 
Zingman, Maggi. “Masters Swim to Ninth Place in Nationals.” Tampa Bay Times (Tampa, Florida), August 31, 1981.

Miss Interlachen Nancy Medlen

Nancy Medlen was born in 1953 and was from Port Charlotte. She majored in elementary education and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega. Medlen won the title of Miss Interlachen as a sophomore. Medlen married Allen Monroe in 1975. She got remarried in 1979 to James Barineau, Jr. They had two children together: Meghan and James. Medlen taught for nine years in Decatur County and for another fourteen years in Quincy, Florida. She won the Superintendent Award in 2000 for high test scores, and in 2001, she was named Teacher of the Year at George W. Monroe Elementary. The last teaching position she held was as a first-grade teacher at West Bainbridge Elementary in Bainbridge, Georgia. Medlen was killed in a car accident on August 9, 2010.

Sources: 
“Award Winners.” The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Florida), May 12, 1974.
Barineau Jr., James Louie and Monroe, Nancy Jane, marriage license, February 22, 1979, file no. 19790035, Gadsden County Clerk of Courts. https://www.gadsdenclerk.com/CourtScribePublicInquiry/Marriage/Detail/189338.
“Charlotte Girl Could Win College Title.” Tampa Bay Times (Tampa, Florida), March 8, 1974. 
Monroe, Allen Garth and Medlen, Nancy Jane, marriage license, May 1, 1975, file no. L0015000088, Charlotte County Clerk of Courts. https://recording.charlotteclerk.com/.
“Nancy Jane Barineau.” Tallahassee Democrat (Tallahassee, Florida), August 11, 2010.
“Nancy Barineau.” The Post-Searchlight (Bainbridge, Georgia), August 11, 2010. https://www.thepostsearchlight.com/2010/08/10/teacher-killed-in-wreck-on-monday-morning/.