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: I’ve gotten names for some of the people below from FIT alum William Davis and others, and I’ve captioned the pictures with their names. If anyone can identify any of the people who are still listed as unknown, let me know and I will update this page with their names.
Names updated 3/2/21.
Row 1: Mike Edsell on the left, Mike Edsell and John Kipp on the right.
Row 2: On the left, Chet King, (don’t know who is next to him), and Mike Kneeland on the right.
Row 1: No guesses.
Row 2: On the left unknown, Bill Atwill, English teacher and crew coach, on the right.
Row 1: That’s me on the right, with my roommate Elisa Caridi.
Row 2: Doug Koontz.
Row 3: Unknown.
And yes, except for a token shot or two my of roommate, all the pictures are of guys. Come on, I was 18!!
Row 1: I can’t remember his name (this is not personal, I just have memory issues), but I remember he was very nice and would give me rides on his motorcycle, which I loved more than anything. I still remember those rides, the scenery was amazing.
Row 2: Unknown.
Row 3: Unknown.
Row 1: Elisa Caridi on the left, Denny something? on the right.
Row 2: Unknown.
Row 1: Mike Kneeland, on the right Don Cuozzo.
Row 2: On the left unknown, but I remember he was another really nice guy, on the right Doug Koontz.
Row 1: These guys in both shots are unknown.
Row 2: Walter LaFluer.
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 the guy on the right is Denny Something?
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!
This is Ken Henke.
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.
HA! I did find it by accident… I went ’72-’74 so we probably knew each other by sight… Charlie Valance used to refer to me as “The Mad Bomber”… Underwater Demolition went to my head I guess…
And I recognize some folks but name…
First 4 pics
Row 2: On the left, Chet King, (AKA Squirrel, live in room below me) possibly (don’t know who is next to him), no guesses for the guy on the right. Hawaiian shirt is Mike Kneeland! Taught me how to surf… green/white van.
Row 3 unknown is Bob Keith
Another one of Mike Kneeland… I have a yearbook and could look some up.
Thanks so much! I updated the names, except I wasn’t sure which row 3 is Bob Keith. I’d love to see the yearbook. What year is it from?
PS: I was so disappointed that I hadn’t taken the underwater demolition class before I left.
Yearbook is from ’74… I went 2 years and ran off with an A.S. in Marine Science. Guy with Squirrel is Tom Kulp…
I don’t see a squirrel anywhere. Do you mean Snoopy, the picture in the window?