Federal Government in H.E.

1
Federal Government in H.E.

• Benjamin Rush 1st U.S. Surgeon General
• Called for a National University but questioned
  if that was the federal govts. purpose
• George Washington and Presidents up to Andrew
  Jackson supported idea
• 1st Morrill Act gave out land
• 2nd Morrill Act gave out money
• Started Military Institutions West Point (1802),
  Naval Academy (1821), Coast Guard Academy (1900)
  , Merchant Marine Academy (1943), Air Force
  Academy (1955)

2
Federal Govt. in H.E. Contd

• War
• Initiated war-inspired requirements
• Morrill Act Institutions must have military
  training
• In 1st World War draft started
• Deferred from service if majoring in science,
  technology, and medical related
• In 2nd World War military had draft but deferred
  based on test
• The expertise of college faculty was made to the
  war
• Cold war Faculty did the scientific research
  that the government wanted ex. Manhattan Project
• G.I. Bill changed the whole pattern of American
  Higher Education
• Direct funding to students, which then came back
  to schools in tuition

3
Federal Benefits and War

• Veterans Benefits
• Pilgrims declared in 1636 If any person shall
  be sent forth as a soldier and shall return
  maimed he shall be maintained completely by the
  Colony during his life
• Revolutionary War 1st formal veterans package
  introduced
• Life-long pensions for both disabled veterans and
  children of those killed in battle
• War of 1812 to the Spanish American War
• Benefits given out for service
• Ex. Gifts of land out west

4
Federal Benefits and War

• Educational Benefits
• Rehabilitation Act of 1919 give disabled WWI
  veterans a monthly education stipend to
  compensate for the delay of or missing training
  towards vocation
• Act only included veterans who were disabled
• Protest
• In 1932, 15,000 angry veterans suffering from
  depression marched on Washington Bonus Army
• Sought cashing of credits they were issued upon
  discharge

5
Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (G.I. Bill)

• Signed by Roosevelt in 1944
• Reason for Act
• High unemployment and economic depression
• Large number of veterans returning to the
  workforce
• 1943 National Resources Planning Board studied
  workforce needs
• Recommended a education and training program to
  ease the stress on society and the economy
• Actions
• Federal govt. took recommendations seriously to
  avoid the mass unemployment in WWI

6
G.I. Bill contd.

• Ivy-league college presidents concerned over
  flood of returning veterans on campuses
• Havards James B. Conant was concerned about
  their capacity to do college-level work
• Opinions changed as faculty and administrators
  found veteran students to be serious,
  perceptive, and steady
• At Stanford, with the presence of veterans, the
  average GPA increased and absenteeism decreased
• Fellow students referred to them as DARS Damn
  Average Raisers
• G.I. Bill enrollment
• 8,200 in 1944
• 88,000 in 1945
• Nearly a million in 1946 (almost half of all
  college students)

7
Federal Govt and Aid

• Prior to 1930s most federal aid went to states
  and public institutions
• In 1930s granted assistance to give to private
  institutions
• Individual Assistance
• National Youth Organization 1935-1943
• G.I. Bill
• Contract Research
• Long-term loans for construction of dorms
• Funds to public education for all grades in D.C.
• Donations to Galludet and Howard Universities
• Student exchange programs Fulbright Act of 1940