CnPTER TWENTY



 TRIBUTES FROM THE PRESS


DR. ALBERT ALEXANDER MURPHREE


aM PuLL of gloom, tempered only by the knowledge that we submit
 to the will of Almighty God, hovers over Florida as the people of
this Commonwealth mourn the passing of Dr. Albert Alexander Mr-
phree, one of our greatest and most outstanding educators of all
times. He was Gainesville's foremost citizen, and one of Florida's
best known and most loved men.
 Sorrow and bereavement over the death of Dr. Murphree will
extend far beyond the boundaries of this state. He was recently


elected president of the National Association of State Presidents.
His connections with many other national organizations means that
they, too, will lose a valuable member and ocer. Higher education
in Florida has been built up around his personality. Especially is
this true of the University of Florida, of which institution he was
president beginning with the year 1909. He struggled to make of
the Florida institution for the education of its young men a great and
outstanding factor in America. His task began when the University
contained less than fifty students and ended when he was called into
the peace of his Maker after the enrollment had passed two thousand.
 From his own lips we have heard him say that his one ambition in
life was to be an educator. That ambition was filled to overflowing.
 Dr. Murphree worked ceaselessly and faithfully. His labor was
never done because his was an ever-widening field of activity. He al-
ways had a smile and a cheering word for those with whom he came
into contact. He had brought himself into national prominence and
had taken the University with him in his journey to fame. Christian
among Christians, man among men, worker among workers, and
leader among leaders, Dr. Murphree had blended into his personality
the kindliness of an understanding school-teacher and the firm de-
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