Me and my girlfriends at Southeastern Bible College back in 1976, these pics are out of the yearbook. That’s me on the right, in case you can’t tell. I thought I was Farrah. We had some good times, but oh my, this seems like another lifetime ago. I guess it was really.
Coming out of class, didn’t we look happy to be free?! And young, oh so young. Wish I could have a talk with my 19 year old self and tell her what to look for down the road. Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of foresight.
Last week was a full week of trying to cram in as much as I could in three short days in Lakeland and I think I succeeded pretty well at strolling down memory lane. First stop was my old college, which I left 30 years ago when it was then called Southeastern Bible College. It’s been upgraded a couple of times and is now called Southeastern University . And can I just say that it looked nothing like this when I attended way back when. Talk about new and improved, it’s all that and more. I was told by my parents that I wouldn’t recognize it and they sure were right. My parents met here and graduated in the early 1950’s and when they left began pastoring churches right away. Many of my relatives have also graduated from this school, so it holds a special place for our family.
There are new fountains, prolific landscaping, and jazz music piped throughout the campus. What a change! We had none of that.
Bush Chapel
And as my cousin Howie told me…all the trees are big now. I didn’t realize what he meant until I walked in the middle of what used to be just grass and some spindly trees. Then I got it!
It’s a beautiful campus and I hope the students appreciate it. They probably don’t have any idea of the humble beginnings.
Bethany Hall, one of the girl’s dorms, was where I spent my freshman year.
I have a picture somewhere of this lobby after all of us girls rolled it with toilet paper. It’s a lot prettier than it was back then.
All the dorms have been remodeled.
And what used to be orange groves on one end of the campus is now new dorms and an aquatic center.
The new restaurant, Tuscana Ristorante. They don’t call it a dininghall or cafeteria, but rather a restaurant and let me tell you, the food was great! Nothing like what we had when I was there.
This is Dr. Mark Rutland, the President of Southeastern. I have heard him preach for many years at Mt. Paran Church of God in Atlanta, so said hello to him as he was going in for lunch and asked to take a picture. He was very gracious and asked me to stand in with him. He is the reason for all the many improvements to the college and has been President for 10 years now. Great man of God!
My cousin, Billy R, was a professor for 27 years at the school and he was with me that day showing me around. He retired 10 years ago and was a very favorite teacher for a lot of students over the years. We ate lunch in the restaurant and it was great.
I will definitely go back and eat here again. They open the doors for anyone who wants to eat here, just like a restaurant and the prices are fantastic. Food stations galore with salad bar, hamburger & fries, deli sandwiches, and 2 hot food areas, as well as a beverage station and desserts. Talk about fun! I had a slice of veggie pizza, salad, and pasta with chicken and eggplant on the side. And I didn’t show you dessert. It was yummy….have you figured out yet that I really like to eat?? I do.
And one night we got together with all my mom’s relatives near Plant City for an old-fashioned fish fry. We crammed in all we could in 3 short days. This is my cousin, Billy’s orange tree. He lives in the middle of an orange grove.
His wife, Dot, took me downtown later that afternoon and we browsed in some antique shops. That was fun!
There are plenty of pretty things to look at.
And my last day on Friday, after all that eating and not doing much else, I had to go for a walk so I went back over near Kim’s house and took an hour long walk around the lake. She has a great neighborhood for walking, lucky girl.
Foliage and birds are everywhere. There was a nice breeze blowing off the water.
Isn’t it pretty? I captured this bird, don’t know what it is.
Is this an egret? I don’t know my birds that well. I needed my hubby around, he knows birds.
Now, these…I’m sure these are ducks. We have those in Alabama too. 🙂
And a few little shacks alongside the lake.
Not bad, huh?
And last but not least, on our way back to the airport, hubby and I stopped by The Strawberry Hut in Plant City (I know, funny name, but Plant City is the strawberry capital in case you didn’t know that) for a Cuban sandwich. Oh man, was it good! My cousin, Howie had told me about them, so we had to try it out. Cuban sandwich and a vanilla milkshake. Fantastic! So I’ve got to work all that off this week.Thanks for coming along with me to Florida! Hope you weren’t bored going back to college with me, but I sure enjoyed it. I finished the blue bathroom, so will show you very soon. It’s a winner!
Don't Miss a Post, join my list!
Hi Rhoda 🙂
I actually enjoyed every minute of the tour. I felt like I was right there with you except when I tried to take a bite of that sandwich… LOL Holy smokes! That looks good 🙂
Except for your hairstyle, you haven’t changed a bit. I knew exactly which one you were. Beautiful campus!
So glad you had a great time 🙂
Have a beautiful night,
rue
Wow Rhoda,
Looks like you had a fantastic time.
You still look as cute as in 1976!!
Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
Rosemary
Thank you so much for this it was like going on a vacation myself. my husband will be having surgery Friday on his leg. This is from the accident he had on Valentine’s day……Mary
This makes me nostalgic for all the years we spent visiting my parents when they wintered in the Lakeland area! Their house there was sold after Mom passed on, so we haven’t been down there the past few years. Isn’t it fun how colleges have changed too? The food stations are a great idea. Oh, and guess what? I had the Farrah ‘do too back in the day! Did you get over to Dade City? Last time I was in the area there were some neat shops that had opened, and a neat little old time teahouse.
now I want to go to Lakeland! that is the trouble with blogs…I see far too many places I want to get in the car and go visit, LOL 🙂
anyhoo…I love your college photos…and I had to laugh at the 2 girls in the very back of the second photo…what a Look of Death that one is shooting the photographer…
I love those pictures of you in college! I always feel that those walks down memory lane can be a little bitter sweet sometimes when you realize how much things have changed. I actually just did that myself which I’ll be showing on my blog later this week.
Oh, and I wouldn’t mind having one of those “shacks” myself!
What a great trip! I love the Florida landscape. It has a character all its own.
I went to Mt. Paran when I lived in Buckhead. It’s a great church. Beautiful structure!
And those cuban sandwiches… love them!
Okay dear Farrah…no wait. You are much prettier than Farrah. : )
I so enjoyed seeing the lovely campus. It was fun to go back for you I am sure.
All those shops and great food and visiting with family and friends. And you spent the day with Kim! Can you see how green with envy I am?? : )
She got to be with you and you got to be with her…see? I am truly envious of you both!
When we lived near Tampa we got to know that area well. LOVE Strawberry fest in Plant City.
I miss all the wonderful wildlife in Central Florida. We used to have Blue Herons in our back yard every morning! That was a treat although it made our cat, Hannah, crazy!!
Oh how I love salads. Ken’s is so good. We have one here called Marzetti’s that has a yummy line too.
Nothing beats a gorgeous and delicious salad. The bags are so expensive. I do but them occasionally for something but they never go as far, cost more and ruin sooner. And it is hard to get a nice sized piece for a sandwich!
Thank you for the tutorial as well.
I will see if I can figure it out someday soon. I learn things slowly!! *laugh*
Look forward to seeing you *new* bathroom. We just painted our dining room burgundy!
Love,
Sue
WOW Rhoda, I can’t believe this, I use to go to Mt. Paran Church of God in the early 1980’s. Small world.
Hugs,
Judy (in McDonough)
Wow, I sure enjoyed that tour. Your old college is beautiful.
Blessings,
Sher
Hi Rhoda,
I loved going down memory lane with you. You sound like you have great memories of your time there. The food looks delish too. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, my, your trip down memory lane about Bible College days brought back a lot of memories for me. My college moved from San Francisco to northern California, bought land and built an entirely new campus. I’ve been there once but it’s not ‘home’ to me. There’s nothing left that reminds me of those years. I’ve been back by the campus where I attended in San Francisco twice but it’s not the same either. I feel like a ‘(wo)man without a country’! ~Adrienne~
Looks like an incredible trip! So glad you had fun.
Have a blessed and wonderful day!
smiles, kari & kijsa
Oh my goodness! I was so surprised when I saw the photo of you and Dr. Mark Rutland!!!! We went to Mt. Paran when he was on staff there. We LOVED.HIM and was heart broken when he left! He is truly a great man of God!!!!! I knew he was president of the college, only because our Sunday School teacher’s daughter is looking at that school to attend and they told us Mark was President. It’s such a small world.
What a fun post to read and loved seeing all the photos too!
Hugs!
Kat
Goodness Rhoda – it’s so amazing to read someone’s posting about my hometown, Plant City! I have to go to the Strawberry Hut on a regular basis for my mother (she’ll call in the orders and I play “errand girl” !) I do love cuban sandwiches though! These taste as good as La Tropicana in Ybor City! And South Eastern… wow. Ya know, back in the 70’s there was a professor that drove a volkswagon and it was painted (HAND painted) with all kinds of “out there” art. I can’t remember his name… did you know of his fame at that time. A lot of my friends went to Southeastern Bible College around that time , ’76-79 though I never did. I did visit quite a lot to First Assembly in Lakeland (when it was on Main St, and then where it is now as Carpenter’s Home) a good majority of the students would attend so I felt like I went there! LOL
This is becoming a book, so I’ll stop going down memory lane. (sigh)
sweetjeanette.blogspot.com
I’m sorry I can’t e-mail you directly so it’s a message on here…
Did you know a Wayne and Mattie, or a George Riddle when you were at First Assembly?
sweetjeanette.blogspot.com
I think Southeastern is where my cousin, Dr. Wesley Ryals taught.
Well, good for you Rhoda, you know a duck when you see one! Enjoyed this post very much. Time flies when you’re having fun. You were just as beautiful a coed as you are a beautiful woman, inside and out. YUMM on the cuban!! Have a blessed Sunday.
Stewcarol
Our son lives in Lakeland and we live in Polk County. He and his family live just off of Hollingsworth – near Florida Southern. Plant City has some really neat shops that one could spend hours in… Enjoyed your photos 🙂