Tufts University - Jumbo Yearbook (Medford, MA)

Page 22 text:

In four years, Tufts College has gone through a remarkable metamorphosis, beginning as a small regional institution, and emerging as one of the larger schools of its kind. Now, as in every other college in the country, Tufts is faced with the task of completing the edu¬ cation of many former students, and com¬ mencing that of many new men. This situa¬ tion with its many concomitants, has plainly brought about some definite changes here. Before the war, Tufts was a true “small college”. The student body was closely knitted together, thanks to the traditional societies, which instilled the fundamentals of real spirit into a man from the beginning of his first year. Under the watchful eye of Sword and Shield, freshmen learned always to wear their hats, and keep off the grass, and to greet everyone on campus with a friendly “Hi”. But the lessons implanted in these early years paid good dividends in stu¬ dent unity. A student ' s life revolved about college life, for eve ryone on Hill knew every¬ one else, and they all worked smoothly to-gether. Tufts was small, but it well de¬ served its reputation of a friendly College. All these things ceased when the late global conflict broke out. It took a little while for the significance of Pearl Harbor to sink in, but mobilization was quick once it started. All college functions went into high gear, with three terms per year, and more con¬ centrated courses. Everyone settled down to the hard grind, working and studying in¬ cessantly (three days off for Christmas), buy¬ ing War Bonds, donating blood, collecting paper and scrap, doing everything possible to win the fight on the home front. Civilian students (and young faculty members) became increasingly rare on campus. In July, 1943, the Navy landed—1000 V-12er ' s and 300 RO ' s. The campus gained a Navy blue tint that it retained for three full years, and “from there on in”, most life revolved about the Navy. When they got up, so did everyone else—it was impossible to sleep late with companies staggering sleepily about the streets in the morning hours, mor¬ osely counting cadence. During the day, things quieted down somewhat. Classes were not unduly crowded, with Jackson and Navy forming almost the whole student body. Many extra-curricular activities died out, but some, like the Weekly and the Tuftonlan kept going. The Navy initiated a few of its own: