April 16 lecture to discuss entertainment of the Flagler era

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Jerry Dickey

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL (04/08/2013)(readMedia)-- Being a guest of Henry Flagler's Hotel Ponce de Leon at the turn of the century certainly had its perks. In addition to the hotel's stunning architecture and luxury, Flagler made sure that those who stayed in his hotel were treated to the finest entertainment the town could offer.

When Jerry Dickey, director of the School of Theatre and Dance at the University of Florida, speaks at Flagler College on April 16, he'll take a look at the many distractions the hotel provided from elegantly costumed balls and cakewalks to elocutionists, living and mental telepathists.

Dickey's lecture will pay special emphasis on how these entertainments reflected the cultural values and aspirations of their participants and observers.

Jerry Dickey was appointed Director of the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance in July 2012. Dickey has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Florida, a Master of Arts in Theatre from the University of Louisville and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Theatre History from Indiana University.

"Costume Balls and Cake Walk Contests," is free and open to the public and will take place at 7 p.m. on April 16 in the Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, 14 Granada St.

The event is part of "Celebrating the Legacy: 125 Years of the Hotel Ponce de Leon." The yearlong celebration will honor the legacy of Flagler's entrepreneurship and community building. The founding partner with John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil, he launched a resort empire along Florida's east coast.

Visit ponce125.com for more details or call 904-819-6400.

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Flagler College is an independent, four-year, comprehensive baccalaureate college located in St. Augustine, Fla. The college offers 24 majors, 29 minors and two pre-professional programs, the largest majors being business, education and communication. Small by intent, Flagler College has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, as well as a satellite campus at Tallahassee Community College in Tallahassee, Fla. U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review regularly feature Flagler as a college that offers quality education at a relatively low cost; tuition is $23,690, including room and board. A relatively young institution (founded in 1968), Flagler College is also noted for the historic beauty of its campus. The main building is Ponce de Leon Hall, built in 1887 as a luxury resort by Henry Flagler, who co-founded the Standard Oil Company with John D. Rockefeller. For more on Flagler College, visit www.flagler.edu.