University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

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future, and UM knew it. The 1945-46 school year saw 2000 students register for classes. One year later, the enrollment figure jumped to just under 7000, including 1000 students totally separated from the main campus. For two years, they lived at South Campus, once the Richmond Naval Air Base, which was located 12 miles from Coral Gables. There were housing, food and recreational facilities for about 1100 students who lived in converted officer ' s quarters and barracks. Warehouses became classrooms and admini- strative offices were in the Officer ' s Club. However, most of the students assigned to South Campus were less than pleased with it. Feeling cheated of the main campus activities and atmosphere, the students were unhappy, alt hough this situation only lasted for two years. It was at this point that the main campus had been finalized. For awhile, there was some question within the Board of Trustees as to whether to expand the present campus surrounding the Anastasia Building, move to the main campus where UM is located now, or perhaps even move to Key Biscayne for an island atmosphere. In March, 1946, the word came that the Merrick gift would be the final campus. At the end of that period, in 1948, on-campus apartments were finished the first housing provided on the new main campus and the Richmond Base was no longer used. The main campus had begun to take shape. The Memorial Building had been finished and even the Merrick Building, having stood incomplete for 23 years, was opened for business. This intense flow of new students strained all the resources on the campuses to their breaking point, and still more space was needed. Dr. Ros- borough: The University had to rent whole sections and entire apartment buildings down on 20th Street and on 3rd Avenue. They then sublet these units to faculty who had been hired to accommodate the new masses of students. It was usually a year or two before newcomers to Miami could find the lifestyle and dwelling they were looking for because of the tremendous flood of new residents. In the meantime, these were like faculty dormitories. A UM promotional gimmick, shot in New Jersey, c. 1954. 20 The annual alligator pond dunking at the Anastasia Building patio, c. 1937.

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r UM students go to a day at the races, c. 1949. the course, I walked into the class and there were only 11 students left. The rest of the boys had been called for and had to leave. It was felt that all these cadets should have some experience in mapping out courses over enemy terrain under simulated flight conditions. One of the methods my class used to accomplish this was the construction of a small platform on the top of the Coffin Tower, at one corner of the Anastasia Building, under which was painted a huge map of central Europe, spread all over the ground below. This was the area they would probably be flying in. They then had to map their courses under terrific noise conditions so they would have to think and concen- trate while bombing was going on. In order to raise a lot of din, tin garbage pails were banged together. While mis usage of UM for training purposes was a clever way to keep the University strong, it was also an abso- lutely essential means of keeping UM alive. Dr. Tebeau: If the University had not been converted largely into a training center, the severe reduction in enrollment might well have forced its closing for economic reasons. The student body was composed largely of men of military age who would have left UM vir- tually empty. The expansion of the defense train- ing was limited only by lack of class- rooms and housing for trainees and their officers. In consequence, UM emerged from the war with its facilities increased and its credit and financial position im- proved, ready to move forward with the rapid expansion of the community. A radical change was in the near 19

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, Much of the influx of post-war students was due to the far-reaching effects of the GI Bill, which financed veterans ' tuition payments, and the general affluence that Americans were enjoying for the first time in many years. Dr. Tebeau writes: The veterans generally had a wholesome influ- ence upon college life. They were not better equipped academically and intel- lectually, but they were more highly motivated and more likely to perform at the level of their ability. Many of them were concerned that they had lost time and that they must get on with their preparation to enter the job market. Large numbers were married and had families to be concerned about, too. True prosperity had finally arrived. A financial base that was dependable enough to generate steady expansion had emerged, and Dr. Ashe lived to see the University well on its way to academic and financial maturity. When he died in 1952, and Dr. Greek Week Pie-Eating Contest, c. 1935. Hurricane football fans return from Gainesville road trip on victorious trainride, c. 1949. 21