East Tennessee State University - Buccaneer Yearbook (Johnson City, TN)

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Now We Have Become East Tennessee R esponding to the challenges of the war and post-war years for the broadening of the scope of American education to meet the needs of an increasingly dynamic society, ETSC under¬ went a major transformation in the decade of 1940-50. The College enlarged its program so as to become a full-scale liberal arts college, offering, in addition to teacher training, pre-professional and liberal arts training and graduate work in many different fields, and adding to its Bachelor of Science degree, the Bachelor of Arts degree, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, and the Master of Arts Degree. In the field of reading laboratory and instruction work it acquired a nat¬ ional reputation. The acceleration of the College ' s progress in the academic field was matched by an appropriate quickening of the tempo of forward movement in other phases of development. New dormi¬ tories sprung up to help accomodate an enrollment steadily climbing into the thousands. A mammoth student center was erected to provide extra-curricular features for a student body that by 1961 had grown to over five thousand. Spacious new buildings for science and physical education at the beginning of the decade were the prelude to a program of new academic buildings including modern structures for health education, pre-engineering, and English and Modern Languages. Showing itself to be in the main stream of the contemporary scientific thrust, the college also began work on what will be the second college plantetarium in the South for space-age study in astron¬ omy and related fields. Along with the new buildings, a reno¬ vation of existing facilities provided expaned quarters for various departments. 18

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Ritter Hall—name changed to McCord Hall in 1961. Students, Buildings, Curriculum and Faculty During the war years, the college played its part in the national defense effort. In addition to participating in the various types of general service incident to war, the College also made other contributions. Civilian Pilot Training was conducted, giving special courses and flight-training. From March 1, 1943 until June 30, 1944, seven hundred thirty-four aviation students in the 2205 Army Air Forces Air-Base Unit were trained here. They were housed in the men ' s dormitory and fed in the cafeteria. Special courses were also offered in preparation of skilled and semi-skilled workers in War Industrial Plants. The old Industrial Arts Building. 17

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State College P.W. ALEXANDER Dean from 1946 to 1958 BURGIN E. DOSSITT President