Source
State Archives of Florida, Collection M90-18
Description
A memorandum from Floyd T. Christian, the Florida Commissioner of Education, to members of the State Board of Education. Attached is information about changes to school operation hours on the district level, and information about traffic accidents that occurred since the switch to year-round Daylight Saving Time, dated January 28, 1974.
General Note
In 1973, the United States was facing energy shortages and developed a variety of approaches to conserve energy as a result, including the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act of 1973. This legislation established a trial period of year-round Daylight Saving Time (DST) from January 6, 1974 to April 27, 1975. The hope was that an extra hour of daylight in the evening would reduce energy consumption, especially the use of electricity.
In Florida, the change to year-round DST came with serious consequences. In the first few weeks after the time change was enacted, several school-aged children were injured in traffic accidents in the dark mornings on their way to school.
In response to these accidents, there was an outpouring of citizen correspondence to Governor Askew expressing their opinions on year-round DST and whether or not Florida should move to counteract the Federal mandate within the state.
On January 29th, 1974, the Florida Legislature met for a special session to discuss DST. At the end of this session, no legislation was passed, and Florida continued to comply with the year-round Daylight Saving Time that President Nixon established.
In 2018, the Florida Legislature passed the “Sunshine Protection Act” (HB1013/SB858), stating that Florida will enact a year-round DST, provided that the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966 is amended to permit states to do so.
[Table entitled “Daylight Saving Time Survey” depicting information by county of schools changing their start times]
Chicago Manual of Style
Christian, Floyd T., 1914-1998. Memorandum from Floyd T. Christian, Florida Commissioner of Education, to the State Board of Education regarding district school schedules and traffic accidents, January 28, 1974. 1974-01-28. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/350887>, accessed 15 November 2024.
MLA
Christian, Floyd T., 1914-1998. Memorandum from Floyd T. Christian, Florida Commissioner of Education, to the State Board of Education regarding district school schedules and traffic accidents, January 28, 1974. 1974-01-28. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/350887>
AP Style Photo Citation
(State Archives of Florida/Christian)
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