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- Dr. Frank Freshour
College of Education Faculty Oral Histories
Dr. Frank Freshour
FF: Yes, that was also when Shirley Raines left. My one big thought is when we moved into the new building and I think a mistake was made. In our old building all the students that had to talk to faculty just walked in and went to their office. If the door was open you had a minute to talk. In the new building they are screened and there are locked doors. There are staff members to go through and students have to make appointments. It’s really very hard for the students to get their faculty members now. I think that was the biggest mistake we made regarding the planning and the administration of the building.
LB: In terms of being student friendly or access friendly… that’s interesting. I remember there was a strong focus on the security in the building. Is there anything I haven’t asked you that you would like to expound upon?
FF: I’ve probably given my opinion or my reaction to some of the changes. Some of them of course are very positive and some of them are questionable.
LB: Speaking of these changes has triggered my thoughts. There were over a few years changes in the chairperson of your department. How was that to deal with in the latter part of your career?
FF: Yes, we had a lot of changes. As I think back when we were the Reading Education Program and I came in. Martha Lou Austin was the person who set up the program. She brought in Phil Pfost to serve as chair. Phil served as our chair for a while. Then he went into the Dean’s Office and Vern Whitney then served as chair for a little while. Then we just bounced around and you’re probably thinking about some of the more recent ones. Then Phil was back to serve as chair for a while. Then we had, I can’t think of her name, but she went off to North Carolina to follow Edward Uprichard there and became associate dean. She served as chair for a while. It bothered me a great deal that other than Phil, most of the people who served as chair did not stay very long. It was a lot of disruption in the department. You’d try to get a program going and then you’d have a new chair come in and want to do things differently and so it was a kind of a problem. Shirley Raines came in. Shirley went on to become a dean at the University of Kentucky and then the president of the University of Memphis. I assume she’s still there I don’t know. Then, I served as Chair for a while until I retired. Next there were two people, I think Kathy Laframboise and Priscilla Griffith took it for a little while and worked as co- chairs. Next I believe Marcia Mann served as Interim Chair.
LB: Jane Young also came back for a year out of retirement to serve as Interim Chair.
FF: Yes. Then she served as Interim Chair I guess before Marcia did and now Lou Carey is serving as Interim Chair. I believe that’s been a problem having so many different chairs.
LB: Well certainly it is a challenge to adapt to that many individuals.
FF: In terms of getting programs going and following through because when you change your direction without having accomplished as much as you like that can be a problem.
LB: Who are the graduates you remember? Are there any that stand out that you remember as an undergraduate and you saw them later teaching or becoming an administrators in the school system.
FF: Well, yes, probably several. I don’t know if you knew Watts Sanderson or not.
LB: Yes, I did.
FF: Watt was one of my earlier students and he eventually became a principal and an outstanding leader in the black community. Watts died a while back. He was one who stands out. And another one was Roger Benson who was a graduate student of mine, and the reason I remember Roger who is still teaching because he and I played tennis and we just played yesterday.
LB: There were so many students over so many years it is difficult to remember.
FF: It is difficult to name one person because there are so many who have been so successful. Mary Giella, who was a student of mine, became an assistant superintendent of Pasco County for a while. Right now, she is retired. Sandy Stuart Ramos is an assistant superintendent. She met her husband in my class and they live in Pasco County. Many of my former students have been very successful teachers and administrators.
LB: Excellent! You saw the College from its early beginnings from 1969 on through today. Having seen the growth and changes, what can you predict for the future of the College in terms where they might go from here?
FF: Well one of the things that I think that is so important is that we had some really good presidents. I think each of them have fulfilled different roles and they were appropriate at different times. I think Betty Castor was really good at getting us connected with the business community and with the legislature. Right now, I think Judy Genshaft is so dynamic and really working to get things happening that it’s just hard to keep up with everything that’s going on here. I’m excited when I hear Huntington Potter talk about what they’re doing about Alzheimer’s research. We just have so many things going on here. It’s a real exciting place to be.
LB: So I’ve noticed after retirement you have remained involved with the USF community at large and still have an interest in the University.
FF: Well, I’m finding now that Rosemary and I have more free time, we can come in an experience and take advantage of all the wonderful things that are going on here. When I was working I didn’t seem to have the time to do it all and so we really enjoy that.
LB: Thank you, Frank, for coming today and showing your experiences and impressions of your time here at USF and thank you for your contributions to the College and to USF.
End of Interview