This page is intended to allow friends and family to glimpse my life as a college student. It has the added benefit of allowing me to document much of it while I still can.
The nexus of my social life was the Caving Club, or more officially, the Florida Speleological Society. When not in class or working part time, it was my identity. Fortunately I’m still in touch with some of these people, though many have now passed. We enjoyed a communal experience, complete with good times, and sometimes tragedy. I have strong memories of the people and places and our activities together. This effort is to help us recall the good times we had together and to allow me to relive the past.
My relationship with what became close friends started during my first semester. My dorm room was close to what was then known as the Campus Club, an on-campus eatery where you could get breakfast, lunch and supper served either from a counter with pans or by ordering from the short order cook staff. The only person I recall vividly from those early days was Bob Smith, at the time an undergraduate and a few years older than me. We became friends which soon led to others and in due time to immersion in the Caving Club culture. It became my “fraternity/sorority” focus over the next four years.
You’ll find links below to sites where you can find dozens of photographs of those days and where you can stop and study the images.
The best first option may be a 15 minute YouTube version of a PowerPoint slide show. It now includes an audio track which is helpful in many respects. Here’s the link to the YouTube video: https://youtu.be/81aSfboBP6I
My first effort some years ago was to put the Power Point video presentation up in two places but one has since disappeared. This one is still live: Prezi.com You may have to register and open an account but there is no cost. If you know of any other site where they can be hosted with no restrictions, please let me know. Alternatively I can email you the file but be aware it is over 22 megabites.
Examples of songs we sung at the many after hours parties: Caving Club Songs
In this age technological advances, you can also go to YouTube and search for Oscar Brand and up will come recording by him of these songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYVtgO20rpI
Copies of the FSS Newsletter, The Florida Speleologist (TFS)
TFS Vol 2 #1 DEC59
TFS Vol 2 #2 MAR60
TFS Vol2 #3
TFS Vol2 #4 DEC62
A tribute to Lou Hippenmeier who died in 1962.
RIP Lou Hippenmeier
Helping Define Your Financial Future 