World War II: GW's Wartime Program

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“We are at war. The outcome of the conflict into which we are catapulted will seal the future of western civilization. Our hearts are heavy with inaction and anxiety. Every citizen wants to aid. We rededicate this University to the service of our nation. In whatever way she can serve, she will gladly serve. We rededicate the lives of her membership to the high purposes of citizenship. Among other things this means the maintenance of quiet courage. We live in a university community. We must keep faith with its ideals and know that we best serve by carrying on our teaching and our studies. Our trust is even more sacred in times of stress. We must ever hold before our people the supreme lesson of what the centuries say against the hours. We shall in the months to come be called upon for sacrifice. We shall meet it, and, as far as possible, meet it together. We are of one body. May each member with calm determination carry on his task until called for other service. We are thankful for the privilege of casting our strength against the forces of evil. We pledge our lives for light, and say to the President of the United States, Our President, we stand ready."

Before a hushed assemblage of faculty and administrative assistants, the President of the University delivered his message. It was December 8, 1941, the day after the fateful Japanese attack that thrust the United States at last into World War II. Confused and distraught, as were most Americans, by the shocking events at Pearl Harbor, members of the teaching and administrative staffs gathered at the President's call for an explanation of the University's first steps in the war program. Following his own brief, stimulating address which rededicated the University to the service of the nation in its perilous hour, President Marvin called upon Dr. Elmer Louis Kayser, Dean of University Students, to summarize the epoch-making events which had drawn us into the world-wide conflict. Dean Kayser responded with one of his most lucid and inspirational addresses, as he depicted the grave world situation and the stern tasks facing all Americans. He outlined particularly the responsibilities facing the University faculty and called upon each in his field -law, medicine, or history-to continue the search for truth. "This above all times is no time to abandon truth," he said. "If it is worth doing in happy days, it is imperative that it be done in these dark and critical days. The obligation is to do it more thoroughly, to be more zealous in the pursuit of truth-why?-because today truth is needed-and tomorrow; and only through truth can there be that tomorrow."

All preparations which the University had made to be ready for such a situation were reviewed. Dr. Donnell B. Young, head of student-faculty civilian defense committee, explained the air-raid system which had been set up few weeks before. Mr. Charles Merry, business manager of the university, announced that the university would go on 24-hour emergency telephone service, that changes in the electric light setup would be made for emergency black-outs, and that black-out curtains were on order for campus buildings. While the faculty lunched in the adjoining room in the Hall of Government and listened to the address of the President Roosevelt to the nation, the student body, more serious than at any time in many years gathered on the Lisner terrace and in the Student Club to hear via amplifying systems hurriedly set up, the President’s words also. That evening members of the student body, dismissed from their classes, filled the gymnasium, where President Marvin again reviewed the university position and responsibility in war-time. Dean William C. Johnson, Jr., of the junior college interpreted for the students, as Dean Kayser had for the faculty, the events of the past few days and outlined for them their role in the new world picture.

The Accelerated Schedule

To accommodate its students who wish to accelerate their college training during the war emergency, and to maintain at the same time its consistently high standards, the University has reorganized its program on the following basis:

1. Two six-week Summer Sessions, which together will be the equivalent of one semester's work, have been established and have been fitted into the year-round program, so that the University is in effect on a trimester basis. This will enable students to complete the usual four-year course in two years and three summers.

2. The University Law School has dropped its admission requirement of the bachelor's degree. Students are now admitted who have completed three years of pre-legal training. If they have completed one of those three years at the University, they may receive an A.B. degree from George Washington after one year of law training. Three years of law training are required for an LL.B., thus bringing into effect a six-year Arts and Law course. By taking advantage of the two six-week summer sessions, however, students may reduce the six-year course to four years and four summers, and the regular three-year law course to two years and two summers.

3. The freshman class in the School of Medicine will start classes on June 8 instead of September 21. The next freshman class will open February 8, 1943. By means of a required summer term, students will graduate from the School of Medicine in just short of three years, instead of the customary four years.

4. Students who are forced to withdraw from the University after the completion of a substantial portion of their work, because of military service or the decentralization of governmental departments, will be permitted to complete their courses by independent study and by correspondence with their respective professors.

5. In line with the general aims of the accelerated program, changes have been made in the academic calendar for the second semester of the current year. Easter recess for students was curtailed from five days to two. The final day for classes will be May 16 instead of May 23, and the examination period will be completed May 29. The Commencement date has been advanced from June 10 to June 3 to allow more time between the close of the regular winter term and the opening day of registration for the first summer session on June 19.

The revised schedule for the second semester and for the Summer Sessions is as follows:

May 16-End of classes, second semester May 20-29-Final Examinations
June 3-Commencement
June 8-Opening of the School of Medicine
June 19, 20-Registration for the first Summer Sessions term
June 22-Beginning of classes
July 31-End of classes
Aug. 3-Examination Study Period
Aug. 4-Final Examinations
Aug. 5-Registration for the second term
Aug. 6-Beginning of classes
Sept. 16-End of classes
Sept. 17-Examination Study Period
Sept. 18-Final Examinations
Sept. 23-Registration for the fall term
Sept. 28-Beginning of classes

The Law School schedule:
June 15-Registration and Opening of Classes for the first summer term
July 24-End of classes
July 27-Examinations
July 28-Opening of second term
Sept. 4-End of classes
Sept. 5-Examinations

Document Information

Images: 0
Photographic Credit: n/a
Author or Source: GWU Alumni Review, May 1942
Document Location: University Archives
Date Added to Encyclopedia: January 16, 2007
Prepared by: Lyle Slovick, Assistant University Archivist

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