History of the UF Division of Student Affairs | Page 13

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White was also responsible for the purchase of part of the present Lake Wauburg
property. At that time, Camp Wauberg (name later changed to Wauburg) was 20
acres of land, water, and a house. The property title was in the name of George
White, Trustee (General Secretary of the YMCA). White resigned in 1924 to
return to the ministry.
In 1925, Johnson hired Robert Beaty (future UF Dean of Students) and Elizabeth
Skinner Jackson to be UF Student YMCA Assistant General Secretaries. Skinner
Jackson, a YMCA employee, also served in the capacity as a “dean of women”
from 1925-27. Before 1925, women were only allowed to attend summer
sessions. In 1925, the Florida Legislature allowed women of a “mature age” to
enroll during regular semesters in UF programs not offered at the Florida State
College for Women. However, women were not officially admitted to UF until
1947. Realizing the future value of Camp Wauburg as a recreation area for UF
students and fearing it would be sold, Beaty, Beaty’s wife, and Skinner Jackson
lived on the Camp Wauburg property from 1926 – 28 to make the area available
to students.
What was the UF Student YMCA’s relationship with UF at this time? The
relationship is best described as symbiotic. The UF Student YMCA was a private
sectarian organization; however, UF faculty, staff, and students were active
leaders and members. In 1925, students voted down a $2.50 fee to support the
UF Student YMCA General Secretary salary citing UF funds; membership dues
from students, faculty, staff; donations from Gainesville churches; and support
from the state and national YMCA organizations as other possible sources of
support for the UF Student YMCA General Secretary’s salary, retirement fund,
and travel. By 1933-34, the UF Student YMCA budget mentions that the General
Secretary’s salary was paid by UF, but the Assistant/Associate salaries were
supported by the YMCA budget.
UF YMCA programs and activities were precursors to many of today’s Student
Affairs departments. In 1925, the headquarters of the UF Student YMCA was a
temporary WWI barracks located on the UF campus near the site of the present
Farrior Hall. In his memoirs, Beaty states that the barracks was one large room
60 x 40 foot with office space in one corner. The YMCA built a lean-to onto the
barracks to be used as a kitchen and conference room. All UF student activities
were planned and took place in this barracks. At that time, there were only

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