by Florida came up in conversation yesterday, and I mentioned that I went to school there for one semester in 1974, at the Jensen Beach campus of the Florida Institute of Technology. I left quickly because I decided I wanted to study photography, not Oceanographic Technology, and I was in a hurry to start my new life. Parts of the area however, were mysterious and magical, and I hoped to find pictures that captured that.
I scanned these from my photo album. I didn’t have any pictures of the area alas, but a lot of the people I went to school with. I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t remember any of their names, except for my roommate, Elisa Caridi. (And I apologize about not remembering names, it’s nothing personal, I have a very poor memory.) But I’m putting them up here in case any of these people googles “Florida Institute of Technology, Jensen Beach Campus,” as I did, and then they will see pictures of themselves from 1974! There’s a shot of me at the end, which I think I may have posted before.
UPDATE: FIT alum William Davis identified some of the people in my photographs:
1 Mike Edsell
2 Mike Edsell, John Kipp.
3 Chet King?
7 Eric, coxswain on the crew team.
8 Bill Atwill, English teacher and crew coach.
10 Doug Koontz
19 Doug Koontz
21 Don Cuozzo
30 Ken Henke, in the last black and white photograph.
That’s me on the right, with my roommate Elisa.
And yes, except for a token shot or two my of roommate, all the pictures are of guys. Come on, I was 18!!
Okay, this one, where I was trying to get “action” shots of Elisa dancing, shows something of the beauty of the area.
I’m pretty sure I didn’t take this picture. The guys in the picture gave it to me.
And this is the picture I believe I’ve posted before. These were taken for a local newspaper article about the crew team. I was the coxswain. For the record, I was a lousy coxswain. I apologize crew team of 1974!
Here’s one more picture I found that I missed. If anyone can identify any of these people let me know and I will update this page with their names.
1973 was my freshman year of college.
And an earmworm for you:
Gimme head with hair
Long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming,
Streaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there hair
Shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there mama
Everywhere daddy daddy
Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair
I love that song!!
I went there for photography from Jan 84 to dec 85. It was a magical place until the announced it was closing a few weeks before I left. Great to see the old dorms. I have a few shots on my blog. Mikemeyerphotopro.wordpress.com
Thanks for the memories Mike
I loved your shots, thanks for the pointer! Yes, it was a magical place. I have very fond memories of my short time there.
13 th row down right hand side
Don Cuozzo
dcuozzo@cdgplan.com
The guy in the yellowish and white striped shirt? Hi Don! You picked me up from the airport when I arrived for the first time. How are you? What are you up to?
Can you identify anyone in the other pictures?
The guy with the long black hair, purple shirt and plaid pants, laying down with his head against the wall is Walter LaFluer. He was a great soccer player and a great friend. I was there in 1974 and 1975 and I remember many of the other people in the pictures. Thank you for posting this.
Thank you! I’m going to add the names of the people above their photographs. I was there in 1974, but I only stayed for one quarter.
Jim Roberts is interested in reconnecting with people that had been in the FIT Jensen Beach Campus 1985 and 1986
I hope you find your former friends.