Category: People

In the News, People

Remembering President Foote at the University Archives

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Edward_T_Foote_4th_President_of_the_University_of_Miami
Edward T. Foote, 4th President of the University of Miami

Written by Koichi Tasa and Sarah Block

Staff at the University Archives were saddened by the news of President Foote’s passing on Monday. University Archivist Koichi Tasa and Archives Assistant Marcia Heath each have fond memories of assisting the former president with archival materials during his tenure.

“President Foote was a very kind person who was always willing to give his time and knowledge to help others,” says Heath, who helped the former president contribute materials to his presidential archive from 2002 to 2008.

Tasa got to know President Foote in 2010 when he contacted the Archives for assistance in accessing his papers. “He was a very important leader for the U and for our local community,” Tasa said. “We would like to express our sincere condolences to the family.”

A summary of Foote’s legacy is featured in the current exhibition Pan American University: The Original Spirit of the U Lives On, located on the first floor of Otto G. Richter Library:

During the time that Edward T. “Tad” Foote II was formally named the fourth president of the University of Miami, South Florida was in the midst of a crisis. Social instability shook many parts of Miami following a rapid surge in immigration with the Mariel boatlift from Cuba as well as race riots over the death of Arthur McDuffie, both of which occurred in 1980.

Foote, seemingly undaunted by the area’s problems, saw only the opportunity for UM to work closer with the community. In his inauguration speech, he spoke of creating a special task force at UM to examine how the University could offer any assistance to those working to solve immediate community problems. It was also Foote who beautified the campus itself, developing a comprehensive landscape plan for the University that would transform it into a magnificent botanical garden—a living laboratory.

President Foote’s presidential papers, preserved by the University Archives, will be available to the public after 2030 upon approval of the Office of the President.

Case dedicated to President Foote in Pan American University: The Original Spirit of the U Lives On, on view at Richter Library.
In the News, People

Looking for a Trace of Sylvester Stallone

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It is a well-known fact that Sylvester Stallone studied at the University of Miami in the late 1960s. However, we have never seen pictures of him anywhere in our collections. Digitization of the University’s historical publications, such as The Miami Hurricane, Veritas, Historical Photograph Collection, and Tempo, makes it possible to search content with keyword searches, but my search of “Sylvester Stallone” came up empty.

Why can’t I find anything on the legendary alumnus? That is because his name was not Sylvester Stallone when he was a student at the U. He was Michael (or Mike) according to my research in the historical resources. After this discovery, I was able to search our digitized collections and quickly found mention of the actor in reviews of two student plays, “The Trial” (1968) and “Calvary” (1969), in The Miami Hurricane. Please go to the links to read the articles.

(April 1, 1968 issue on The Trial. See p. 6)

(May 9, 1969 issue on Calvary. See p.7)

stallone

Do you think he was in the picture of the May 9, 1969, article? I will contact Dr. Josephine Johnson, director of the performance, who is an alumna of the College of Arts and Sciences and former Chair of the Department of Communications. She has donated her papers and significant materials on William Butler Yeats and his circle to the Richter Library. While teaching at UM, Dr. Johnson also directed and participated in poetry performances in the Miami area.

People

U of M Opened Here

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Dr. William Butler (left) and Dr. Henry King Stanford (right) in front of the sign “U of M Opened Here” taken in 2007.

This is a meaningful picture for the University taken in 2007 – two historically important people of the university are standing at the birthplace of the first campus. Dr. William Butler (left) and Dr. Henry King Stanford (right, third president of the University from 1962-1981) are standing in front of the sign “U of M Opened Here” located near downtown Coral Gables. The picture was given to us by Dr. B together with two dozens of additional images on his professional and personal life from 1942 to 2014.

Dr. Butler had served as the Vice President for Student Affairs and professor at the University of Miami for 32 years and retired in 1997. He is the founder of the William R. Butler Volunteer Service Center at the U.M. also. He helped me many times with research questions, and he is an ardent supporter of the University Archives by donating us his interview videos “Conversations with Dr. William Butler (1995-2004)” and publishing the book “Embracing the World: the University of Miami, from Cardboard College to International and Global Acclaim (2008).”

(Conversations with Dr. William Butler)

(Embracing the World)

Please go to the link below to see pictures and learn more about the first campus of the University.
(Anastasia building & North Campus)