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Year
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Florida
State University
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Local,
State, and National
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1851
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On
January 24, 1851, the General Assembly of Florida orders the
establishment of two “Seminaries of learning” on both sides of the Suwannee River. While
Ocala is chosen as the
site for the East Florida Seminary (later moved to Gainesville
as it becomes the University
of Florida), the cities of Quincy, Marianna, and Tallahassee battle over the selection
for the future site of the West Florida Seminary for the next few years. Through the urging of prominent Tallahassee residents, the legislature finally
settles on Tallahassee
as the site of the West Florida Seminary in 1857; later that year, the
campus of the Independent Florida Institute is transferred over for use
by the Seminary.
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1845,
Florida enters the United States
as a slave state.
1850,
Compromise of 1850 keeps the nation united but puts into place the
controversial Fugitive Slave Act
1861-1865
The Civil War
1868,
Florida is
readmitted to the Union
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1858
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The
West Florida Seminary absorbs the Leon Female
Academy
in order to provide women with fair resources to academics and
financial support. As a result, the Female
Department of the West Florida Seminary is established, providing the
female students with instruction in the buildings of the former
academy. Under the Florida State Constitution and the City Council of
Tallahassee, the Female Department received the same benefits and
financial support guaranteed to the Male Department.
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1865
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A
company of cadets from the West Florida Seminary, reorganized in 1863
as the Florida Collegiate and Military Institute, fight in the Battle
of Natural Bridge on March 6, 1865. The
cadets and other Confederate forces stop Union troops from advancing in
Florida and prevent
the capture of the capital of Tallahassee. The people of Tallahassee hold the cadets of the
Seminary in high honor for their actions. Despite
the endeavor, the Confederacy lost the war six weeks later and Union
forces moved into Tallahassee.
A garrison of federal troops occupied College Hall for four months
while pacifying the former rebel capital.
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1901
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West
Florida Seminary officially renamed itself Florida
State College on June 5, 1901. The process of recreating itself
into a college began in 1887. In that year, George M. Edgar becomes the
first to hold the title of “President.” Under Edgar’s leadership, the
West Florida Seminary developed a four-year liberal arts curriculum.
Albert A. Murphree, the third President,
pushed for the name change to signify the new focus of the institution
implemented by Edgar. Murphree decided to
make the name change since the word “seminary” refers to a specialized
school in theology or teaching. The Board waited until plans were under
way for the construction of two dorms, East and West Hall, before
making the name change. The institution did not become fully accredited
until 1915.
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1905
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The
state legislature passed the Buckman Act after the state colleges submit
a $700,000 budget. The Act abolished all state schools and sets up four
new ones in their place: the University of the State of Florida in Gainesville,
the Institute for the Blind, Deaf, and Dumb in Saint
Augustine, and the Florida
Female College and Florida Normal and Industrial School
for Negroes in Tallahassee.
Papers throughout Florida
hail this as a great cost cutting move and improvement to the education
system. Classes for the new Florida Female
College
begin 27 Sep 1905. FFC changed its name to Florida State College for
Women in 1909. Students and faculty pushed for the name change since
they felt the title was demeaning and demonstrated poor English. They
commonly called the institution “Florida Women’s College” for several
years, making the name change a mere formality.
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1907
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The
first ever Odds and Evens basketball game is held. The school decided to prohibit intercollegiate
competition for women. In its place arose the Stars and Crescents,
predecessors of the Odds and Evens. When a student entered college, she
was either an Odd or Even depending on the year she came in. The
tradition ended in 1953 after coeducation arrived at Florida State.
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1908
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Workers finish the construction of Bryan Hall, the oldest building still standing on the Florida State campus. The W. T. Hadlow Company built the structure. Funds were
set aside for the new building after the old building, West Hall,
burned to the ground in December 1906. A defective furnace started the
fire and it engulfed the interior of the building. At the time West
Hall served primarily as an academic building while East Hall served as
a dormitory.
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1909
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Edward
Conradi takes
over as president of FSCW following the resignation of Albert Murphree. Murphree
steps down from FSCW to accept the presidency of the University of Florida. Conradi
accepts presidency on the condition that FSCW would receive equal
funding to UF, which never materializes. This is the beginning of a
tenure lasting 32 years until Conradi’s
death in 1941.
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1910
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On
March 8, 1910, the Florida State College for Women laid the cornerstone
for the Administration
Building,
known today as Westcott Hall. The
ceremony, which was reported on the front cover of the Tallahassee
newspaper, The Weekly True Democrat, was attended by a
large crowd, including Florida Governor Albert Gilchrist.
During the event, a large copper casket was
placed in the cornerstone by President Edward Conradi.
The casket held various items associated with the school including, but
not limited to, copies of the college catalogue; a list of students,
faculty, and class officers; a history of the College written by A.A. Murphree, the first president of the College;
and a copy of the Buckman Bill.
The
Administration building replaced College Hall, constructed in 1855 and
used by West Florida Seminary. Today, a
courtyard with a fountain and brick gate pillars occupies the space
where College Hall once stood. Completed
in 1916, the Westcott Gates were a gift from the classes of 1916 and
1918. In 1917, the fountain was
presented as a gift from the classes of 1915 and 1917.
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1911,
Ronald Reagan is born.
1912,
Titanic sinks
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1914-1918:
World War I,
America
enters in 1917
1914,
Panama Canal is
opened.
1915,
D.W. Griffith’s, Birth of Nation, is released.
1917,
Russian Revolution
1919,
18th Amendment is ratified establishing prohibition
1919,
Race Riots in cities across the United States.
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1915
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On
January 23, 1915, the Florida State College for Women published the
first issue of its weekly newspaper called the Florida
Flambeau. The name Flambeau, which
means “torch” in French, was chosen by student Lucille Freeman,
circulation manager of the newspaper. Miss
Freeman’s choice was explained in the January 30, 1915 issue.
“Florida,” of course, quite
naturally: but “Flambeau,” by what right? Look
at the great seal of our Alma Mater: on it you see three primal ideals
enumerated, for which our College stands,
and for each ideal stands its symbol the classical torch, which our
Dear Mother hands on to succeeding generations. And let us hope that
each shining emblem symbolizes a greater light that “never was on land
or sea.”
The
Florida Flambeau remained a campus
publication for fifty-seven years, until funding cutbacks in 1972
forced the newspaper to become an independent publication off-campus.
The newspaper continued to operate independently until 1998, when the Florida Flambeau, due to financial shortfalls, ended its
publication after eighty-three years. That
same year, the newspaper was purchased by FSView, another Florida State
University
student newspaper established in 1992. Today,
the official independent student newspaper is called FSView & Florida
Flambeau.
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1917
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The
United
States entered the First World War,
April 6, 1917. Across the country,
Americans began adjusting to the realities of wartime.
In Tallahassee,
the students and faculty of the Florida State College for Women (FSCW),
through a variety of activities, did their part to support the war
effort and cope with the deprivations of wartime.
Throughout
1917 and 1918, articles related to the war appeared regularly in the
FSCW weekly newspaper, the Florida Flambeau. Articles encouraged students to show their
patriotism and help in the war effort through such activities as
conserving food, joining the Red Cross, or buying liberty bonds. One such article appeared in the April 14,
1917, issue of the Florida Flambeau. It clearly illustrates the College’s pledge
to support the war. The article read in
part,
And indeed women of the College
wherever opportunity offers to take money usually spent on good times,
we want to spend it for those who are in actual want for meat and
bread, to do the little bit that Florida women can in helping heal the
horrible wounds of the European war.
To
counter food shortages, the College regularly encouraged food
conservation as an important priority. The
administration looked to the resources available at the college. The livestock of the campus farm provided meat
and milk for the Dining Hall and College Cooks substituted ingredients
when necessary. Students and faculty
worked in the campus garden to increase the production of vegetables
and students were taught the skill of canning vegetables.
Students
joined the Tallahassee Red Cross by the hundreds. Members
sponsored sewing classes and knitted garments for the military. In 1917, the Junior Class canceled the Spring
Prom and donated the money to the Red Cross. Faculty
offered classes on first aid and nursing, as well as hosting special
programs on subjects related to the war. Students attended Liberty Bond
meetings and created Christmas care packages to send to soldiers
overseas. All around the College, students and faculty worked to do
their part in supporting the war effort.
However,
the college was not immune to the Anti-German sentiment spreading
throughout the country. Within days of the
declaration of war, Miss Selma Bjorgo, a
piano instructor and native German, was dismissed for “disloyalty to
the Country and the Institution,” for failing to suppress her
pro-German sentiments. In spring of 1918, the State Board of Control
ordered the College to remove courses in German from its curriculum.
This anti-German sentiment was even directed at President Edward Conradi, whose parents were of German descent. Through it all, Conradi
remained steadfast in his support of the war and continued to encourage
his students to participate in the war effort.
When
the fighting ended on November 11, 1918, the students of the Florida
State College for Women marched down College Avenue in song and cheer
to celebrate the end of the First World War.
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1918
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On
July 22, 1918, the Florida Flambeau reported the
appointment of Dr. Raymond Bellamy as professor of Social and Political
Science. Born in Indiana, Dr. Bellamy taught courses
in sociology, economics, history, political sciences, and anthropology.
During the 1920’s, Dr.
Bellamy was the focus of a heated controversy over the moral content of
the state funded educational system.
For
nearly three years, the Florida Purity League, led by L.A. Tatum,
fought for the dismissal of Bellamy who they accused of “teaching
atheism, being pro-German, being a Bolshevik, teaching free love,
teaching evolution, and being a Damn Yankee.” In addition to the
removal of certain faculty, the Florida Purity League and its allies,
which included Governor Sidney Catts,
sought to remove materials, deemed offensive by the League, from the
libraries of state funded schools.
By
1926, the controversy had become a part of a state-wide debate on
evolution. Tatum produced lists of books
used by Bellamy and other professors as evidence of a pro-evolutionary
sentiment at Florida State College for Women. When
President Edward Conradi refused to
dismiss Bellamy, the Purity League turned its focus on Conradi. President Conradi
responded to the accusations by restricting access to certain books and
by requiring all professors of science to provide a list of texts to be
examined by the President personally.
By
1928, the controversy began to subside as newspapers and organizations
such as the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce spoke out against Tatum’s
accusations. Attempts in the Florida Legislature to ban the teaching of
evolution had twice failed. By the fall of
1928, Tatum had abandoned his crusade against the Florida State College
for Women and Dr. Raymond Bellamy remained Professor of Social and
Political Science
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1920
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FSCW
graduated its first blind student, Mabel Bates
In
the 1920s, FSCW witnessed a tremendous amount of construction. First,
the East Hall, the “social hub of FSCW, burnt to the ground on 31 October 1920. No one was
hurt, but twenty-eight girls lost all of their possessions.
In 1921, the front portion
of Jennie Murphree Hall was built and
additions to Reynolds and Broward Halls were completed; Science Hall
(where Diffenbaugh is now located) was
built; In 1922, Bryan Hall was built, College Avenue was paved in
brick, the west wing of Jennie Murphree
Hall was added, and Dodd Hall (the school’s library until 1956) was
built; In 1925 Albert Gilchrist Hall was built;
In 1926, the Arthur Williams Building was built, in 1928, the south and
west wings of Gilchrist hall were completed, and in 1929, the Board of
Control authorized the construction of a new gymnasium that would later
be named Montgomery Gym.
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1920,
Nineteenth Amendment (women’s suffrage) is passed.
1923,
Florida
passes a law saying
evolution cannot be taught in schools
September
18, 1926 a category four hurricane hits Dade county, killing ninety-two
and another three hundred were killed by flooding
1927,
The Jazz Singer, the first movie with
sound, was released.
1929,
Stock Market Crash
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1924
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The
American Association of Universities placed FSCW on its approved list
of Colleges and Universities.
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1927
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Men
are allowed to come to the Junior Prom for the first time
In
1928, social parlors are created in Jennie Murphree
and Reynolds Halls thereby allowing for a place where men can visit the
women in a chaperoned environment
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1930s
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The
Great Depression created a large influx of transfer students when, due
to the expense, Florida
women returned to the state instead of attending northeastern
institutions. Some students were able to attend FSCW when the college
began accepting bartered goods, such as sweet potatoes and oranges, in
lieu of tuition. In 1930, FSCW enrolled a
record 2,663 students.
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1932,
FDR elected president
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1932
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Students
and alumnae planted live oak trees between Jefferson Street and Gilchrist
and Landis Halls, which are still standing. The activity was part of a
national tree-planting project meant to celebrate the two hundredth
anniversary of George Washington’s birth.
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1934
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John
Boyton joined the Alumnae
Association as the first male graduate of FSCW. Boyton
completed both his bachelor and master degrees by attending summer
school sessions, which males were allowed to enroll. He would later
receive his Ph.D. in sociology from Duke
University
and return to Florida
State University as a member of the
faculty.
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1941
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FSCW
is the third largest women’s college in the U.S.
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1939-1941,
World War II; America
enters in 1941.
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1942
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Special
war emergency courses, such as Botany 335: vegetable gardening, “Radio Code Practice,” and “Defense Mechanics”
are offered.
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1947
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May
15, 1947 FSCW is officially changed to FSU
The
Florida Flambeau reports that
“Seminoles” will be the athletic team name. Some of the other proposed
names were the Crackers, Statesmen, Tarpons, Swamprats
and Tally Whackers.
FSU’s circus called the “Flying High Circus” makes
its debut.
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1950
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The
dedication of Doak Campbell Stadium
October 28, 1950, marked a turning point in FSU history.
As a football stadium, it redefined FSU as a
college no longer just for women. As a
site for future commencement ceremonies, it focused attention upon FSU’s dramatic increase in attendance—the class
of 1950 graduated 635 seniors, yet September 1950’s enrollment hit an
all-time high of 6,399.
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1951,
color television is introduced.
December
31, 1952: The Tallahassee Democrat cites a finding of
the Tuskegee Institute declaring, “Mob action claimed no lives in the U.S.
during 1952—the first lynch-free report since it began keeping records
in 1882.”
1953,
DNA is discovered
1954,
The U.S. Supreme Court rules racial segregation unconstitutional in
public schools
1954,
U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy begins televised hearings investigating
alleged Communists in the army
1955,
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama
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1953
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Burt
Reynolds—Miami high school football star
and future actor—favors FSU over Miami University,
swayed by Coach Nugent telling him, “There are 14 girls for every guy.”
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1955
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1958
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1960
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1963
JFK assassinated
1964
Gulf
of Tonkin
Resolution
1969
Woodstock
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1961
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1968
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1969
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1970
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1972,
The
Tallahassee
chapter of the National Organization for Women is created.
1972, Title IX
legislation was enacted, prohibiting gender discrimination in any
educational program or activity that receives Federal financial
assistance; the legislation has had particular impact on athletics.
1978, serial killer
Ted Bundy attacked five FSU female students in January; two of the
students he attacked in the Chi Omega house on campus were killed.
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1972
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1974
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Streaking at
FSU starts a craze that swept the nation; it began on campus in March,
and became so popular that Landis Green was officially opened up to streakers for 24 hours.
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1976
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1980
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Bill
Wade wins the title of Homecoming princess by some 150 votes, running
as “Billie Dahling”. He ran as an
effort to prove that the election was a sexist popularity contest
dominated by Greeks. Consequently, many Greeks (and most of the
court) threatened to boycott Homecoming festivities in the event that
he won. In an effort to
appease both parties, Wade was crowned Princess at Pow-Wow
and his name announced during halftime, but was kept off the field
during the ceremony.
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1986,
Hurricane Kate causes extensive damage to FSU campus and demands a
curfew for all of Tallahassee
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1981
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The
1980s were a good decade for women’s sports. In
1981, the women’s golf team won first place at the Dick McGuire
Invitational and the South Florida Invitational, and the women’s
softball team won the State Title in the FAIAW State Tournament. In 1984 women’s track won outdoor
championships, succeeded by women’s track winning indoor championships
in 1985.
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1987
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The
1980s were an important decade for computers and science.
The Supercomputer Computations Research
Institute opened in 1987 along with the New Science Library (Dirac). In 1989, the Institute of Engineering
shared between FSU and FAMU opened. Also
in 1989, a proposal was submitted to the National Science Foundation by
Drs. Jack Crow, Don Parkin, and Neil
Sullivan for a new national user laboratory supporting research in high
magnetic fields. In 1990, the National
High Magnetic Field Laboratory would be awarded to FSU.
In
1987, phone registration for classes replaced in-person registration
that used to take place at the Leon County
Civic Center. This
new method certainly made the process more convenient, but no less
tedious. Students today have the advantage
of registering via the internet, but oftentimes the process is still
frustrating. Nonetheless, with the
adoption of phone registration students no longer had to endure the
wait in line at the Civic
Center.
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1988
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Deion Sanders won the Jim Thorpe award as the
nation’s top defensive back. Sanders
played Football, Baseball, and ran Track during his career at FSU. He is widely considered to be the best
cornerback in college football history, and his jersey, #2, is only the
second to be retired at FSU
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1991
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Students
marched on FSU campus to protest a 7.8 increase in student tuition.
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1992
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The
use of the running warrior at Florida State
athletic events is retired.
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1993
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Florida State wins the national championship in football
in 1993 and again in 1999. Two FSU students, Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke, win the Heisman
Trophy (1993 and 1999 respectively) during these years.
Shayne
Osceola becomes the first Seminole to graduate from FSU.
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