THE WAR
YEARS


World War I
When World War I broke upon the U.S., ninety-seven men and women, graduates and former students of the Normal and Model Schools reported for National Service. Men students disappeared almost entirely, and at one time during the war a low of two was reached. The men's dormitory was remodeled to house fifty women in 1921. When the war ended, the men began to return, and by June 1923 male enrollment had grown to forty-one.

During this time, victory gardens were planted and cultivated by faculty, staff, and sixty students, helping to increase the amount of food exported. Students in the Domestic Arts Department knitted 240 sweaters to be sent to Camp Dix, and made helmets and socks for Camp Meade.

Perhaps the most exciting event during that time, however, was November 11-15, 1918, officially hailed as Peace Day Celebration. The four-day event consisted of parades, bonfires, buffets, and best of all-no classes.

World War II
When America entered World War II in 1941, male students were again called to perform their duty. The Class of 1943, under the Roscoe West administration, planted a tree to "all the boys in the class who have left for the various branches of the service."

At one time during World War II, as few as eighteen men remained on the campus. Six hundred and three students and alumni went into the service and thirteen did not return.

To enable male students to finish as much work as possible before being called up, and to meet the shortage of teachers resulting from the war, an accelerated program was begun in the summer of 1942. This was continued throughout the summer of 1945, but ended as veterans began to return to The College.

Social Life

Social life on the campus also changed during World War II and activities related to the war were introduced. The War Service Committee of The College handled nearly $1,100 allotted to it by the Student Executive Committee and earned through programs and sales. Major disbursements were for equipment of a day room at Fort Dix, the World Student Service Fund, expenses of a party for soldiers, and transportation for women students to dances at Fort Dix.

Other groups went to entertain in Trenton Service Areas. Hundreds of Christmas presents were assembled and wrapped for the Army. A college unit of the Trenton Chapter of the American Red Cross was set up, under which a nurse's aide course and a standard nutrition course for work in the canteen corps were sponsored.

During the summer of 1943 The College contributed to the food supply by making land available for twenty-five victory gardens cultivated by members of The College faculty and staff. Cooperative planting, cultivating, and harvesting of an area of beans and tomatoes were carried on by students and faculty.