Dr. Forrest Hinton, a Samford graduate, opened his medical practice in Immokalee, Florida in the early 1950s.  With the assistance of his wife, Helen, he built a reputation as the “Swamp Doctor of the Everglades,” treating thousands of Floridians until he retired in 1981.  Dr. Hinton, who always appreciated the significance of his Samford education, died in 1987.  When Mrs. Hinton passed away a few months ago, Samford became the beneficiary of more than $1.4 million from the Hinton estate, with a substantial portion of the bequest designated for scholarship endowment to assist worthy students.  

   

The Hinton story has yet another Samford twist.  When Dr. Hugh Floyd, chair of our sociology department, heard the news of the bequest a few weeks ago, he wrote to say that his father became the minister of music at the First Baptist Church in Immokalee in the early 1960s.  “I was a senior and played on the high school basketball team,” said Dr. Floyd.  “During one of the practice sessions for the team I broke my foot.  Dr. Hinton put the plaster cast on my foot.  He was a kind and helpful man who did serve the community well.  The Samford world is both global and small.”  

   

The world is better because of Forrest and Helen Hinton . . . despite the fact that the NBA was deprived of the talents of young Hugh Floyd. 

  

 

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.