Penn State University - La Vie Yearbook (University Park, PA)

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?;fsescerh Reactor Building, dedicated on Feb. 22, r6560; :orks beQinning of a new field of study and At tC . Adm. Lewis L. Strauss, chairman of Ormc Energy Commission, dedicated the building. Gmund Faith c Skefch Wing W Was broken on Feb. 22, I955 for the All- hopel, named for Helen Eokin Eisenhower. includes meditation chapel and program hiCh will be built before the main chapel. $2,000,000 fund drive for new buildings. The goal was not reached hut 17.000 alumni and friends pledged $1,727,272, which brought to the campus the Iirst major building program. Thomas resigned after four years to become head 01 Rutgers University but the impetus he gave to the col- lege carried over into the next administration. The 21-year administration of Dr. Ralph Dom Hetzel coincided with 21 series of national crises-Cight vears of depression, Four years of war, and two years of hpostwar adjustments. Yet Penn State continued to grow at am accelerated pace and to expand its services. The demand for cheaper education during the de- pression led to the establishment of centers throughout the State to meet the requests of the local people. From 1928 to 1932, 21 $5,500,000 construction pro gram brought 14 new buildings to the campus and in 1937, the General State Authority and Public Works Administration begun another major building program. Depression, however, mezmt retrenchment in some areas, especially in research. A temporary enrollment decline was halted when the Federal government set up its Works Progress Administration and National Y outh Administration programs to supply jobs. The attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, had an immediate impact on the campus. An accelerated pro- gram was started to enable students to complete as much training as possible before they were called for militarv service and to prepare men and women for essential work in industry. 23

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,43, 712-33. ILL. x: ' t

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'.. t, v . h Mnlecry training dates from Civul Wor days. These Codetz were enrollmi in military science 60 years ago. 1?: way ...a;.......4.zw..n-;..w The campus itscll' took on the appearance of a mili- . turv post as all 01' the services assigned men to the t . 7.. . g ,. .. ' J 0 .0 ' Unix'crsitv for training. World War II found the campus a virtual ormy post wnh fraternities converted into barracks ,0 Longtcrm research projects were dropped while physi- cists, chemists, bactcriologists, and others sought discov- crics in such holds us ordnance, aviation gasoline. lubricants, high explosives, unti-mzlluriul drugs, and suh- stitutcs for supplies once imported from other countries. Extension workers trained more than 140,000 men and women in cities throughout the State and mobilized workers to relieve the labor shortage on farms. The end of the war hrought :1 now prohlcm-hnding housing and providing instruction for nearly 23,000 vot- Crsms returning to tho cumpus. 'chmporzlr'v residence halls wcrc rushed to completion l'ur single veterans and Windcrcst, :1 trailer cmnmunity, appeared to house veterans with families. To provide instruction, :1 umpcmtivc program was developed whcruhv I'rcshmcn were admitted to Penn State, thcn assigned to a center, :1 State 'Iiczlchcrs College, -0 :9 , u-. d helped to President Pugh drew plans on pay for and build President's Residence The campus, in 1895, was dominated by Old Main while East College Ave. was lined with large frame houses.