Cooperative Living Organization - History

History

CLO began in the depression year of 1932 with four Tallahassee, Florida boys who pooled their meager resources in order to remain enrolled in the University of Florida. They rented a garage apartment near the campus sharing housework and expenses. Their shared expenses came to $13.00 a month per person. Rapid expansion of the group to 23 members and the rental of two houses led to formal organization and the election of officers in 1933.

Two policies were formulated that underpin the organization to the present. First, individual financial contributions would be set by democratic rule for the least cost compatible with comfortable living conditions. Second, those who could afford to live elsewhere, non-students, and students whose primary objectives were social association rather than academic achievement through cooperative living were excluded from membership. Criteria for judging applications for membership were financial need, potential for scholastic achievement, leadership qualities and willingness to work as a group for the common objectives.

By 1938 the membership increased to 64 and in 1940, Dr. Joseph Fulk, a former professor of School Administration at the University of Florida, placed the present property at 117 N.W. 15th Street, Gainesville, Florida in trust with CLO as the beneficiary in memory of his deceased wife, Nellie Swanson Fulk. The organization incorporated as the Cooperative Living Organization, Inc. and expanded to as high as 80 members assessing $22.50 per person per month for room and 3 meals per day. Except for the World War II years, membership remained steady at that level. Member contributions rose to the $50 range per month in the '60’s and the organization supported three employees, a full time cook and assistant, and a part-time accountant in addition to compensation for its elected officers.

In February 1967, CLO was reincorporated under the name of the Collegiate Living Organization in order to comply with a previously unnoticed law which disallowed the use of the word "cooperative" in the name of any corporation not associated with the agricultural industry. At this time the organization adopted a non-discrimination policy. In 1968 the organization was the first off campus living organization including social fraternities and sororities at the University of Florida campus to accept African-American students. Under the leadership of CLO alumni Frank Shepherd, architect Jack Turner and enthusiastic support of the University of Florida President and administration, a successful movement to acquire funds through a HUD loan for new buildings resulted in replacement of the wood and brick houses historically referred to as the "Brown House," "White House," "Brick House," and "Chow Hall" with modern concrete buildings with capacity for up to 80 residents. These new buildings were completed in the early 1970s. It was also in the early '70s when women began to be admitted as members. On April 7, 2009 CLO returned its name to Cooperative Living Organization.