Leaving Campus

A World War II Epitaph

Dr. Michael Herbert

• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781639856954
• eBook ISBN: 9781639856961
• Topic: Histoire
• Subtopic: Histoire de l'Amérique du Nord

While America was struggling to claw its way out of the Great Depression, and the shadow of war growing stronger by the day, life for the students of Bemidji State Teachers College remained largely untouched by the looming threat of war. The surprise attack by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, changed the lives of those students in a very tragic way. This is the story of the lives of students of Bemidji State Teachers College who enlisted in military service after the United States was drawn into the war and who later lost their lives in the service to their country.

1944

1944 proved to be one of increased opportunity for the Bemidji State Teachers College students. Student health services were provided with new equipment (examination table, medicine cabinet, and an electrometric hemometer—used to measure hemoglobin content—the only one in Bemidji!) as well as additional course offerings as now speech minor was offered.

It was also noted in December that Pfc. Robert Worth, former student at BSTC, stationed at the University of Oregon, was then home on furlough. Robert had been taking courses in engineering in connection with the Army Specialized Training Program.

The college remained steadfast in its efforts to contribute to the war effort. The laboratory school students were still hard at work selling bonds and stamps, having reached a total of $4,641.35 by the middle of January. The student League of Women Voters conducted a waste-paper drive in which they collected about a ton and a half of waste-paper. The paper at that time was selling for between fifteen and twenty dollars a ton, depending on whether the paper was magazines, newspapers or corrugated paper. The BSTC girls were waiting to receive their quota for the production of surgical dressings and announced that during winter term the Red Cross room would be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and that between forty and fifty female students have signified that they would be helping. It was noted that during fall term one hundred and thirty-two students contributed and produced nearly 4000 bandages. The efforts of the volunteers did not go unnoticed. Dr. Hobson received a letter from PLM 2/c Ken Coder, which included an article about the number of surgical dressings made by the volunteers and had this to say, “This clipping from the paper can certainly be repeated again and again and in more than just our own paper too. It’s one of the truest and best little items I’ve seen and should have been on the first page instead of the second. I’m in the hospital corps as you know, and we are never finished making bandages and compresses. It’s a very continuous job, and we can’t stop. We’ve been very fortunate to have our supplies replenished when we ran low. So believe me, all the ‘bit’ that is done soon grows and is used to the fullest extent. They’re like fresh water—never wasted. The trimmings are saved and made into surgical sponges.”44

The lack of male students on campus was not forgotten as marked by the comments posted in the student newspaper. “Get in Line Girls… There’s a Man Loose Again”45 as was also noted that for every male student there were six female students.

On Friday, February 11, 1944, the Alpha Phi Sigma Honorary Society presented at the regular assembly a Patriotic Program which included the reading of John Drinkwater’s play, Abraham Lincoln by sophomore student Eva Cann.

February 1944 marked eighth-grade bond and stamp sales at over $8,000. The twofold goal was to, by the end of the first academic year, sell at least $5000 worth of bonds and stamps, and by the end of the second school year, achieve selling a bond for every lab school pupil. At the time of this report 37 percent of the lab school pupils had a bond apiece. This month also noted the creation of the Quill club (informally known as the ink-slingers) for those students interested in journalism and other creative writing. There was a poll given to students which asked if “The Star Spangled Banner” should be sung at the start of each school assembly and an overwhelming 80 percent yes by the students and 71 percent yes by the faculty ensured that, indeed, the anthem would be the start of each weekly school assembly. On a health note, it was reported that (as of February 23) only 30 percent of the student body had come down with the flu. College clubs were in full swing with February meetings of the Rural Life club, Alpha Phi Sigma, the Sketch club, and the science club.

On an optimistic note, a questionnaire was sent out via the student paper to the men and women in military service regarding their choices and thoughts on post-war education.

The Northern Student, Wednesday, February 23, 1944, p. 3.

(Bemidji State University Archives)

This is in conjunction with the plans being made by Congress to provide college education for ex-servicemen. Already in place through the veteran’s bureau was assistance for disabled veterans who wished to pursue a college education and current bills were addressing items such as monthly allotments, expenses and tuition. BSTC, which is now a full accredited college, will be a college where education for ex-servicemen will be offered. The college had also recently voted to give credit to servicemen whose experience would relate to the subject matter being considered.

The student paper continued to lament the lack of male students and reportedly there was only one male student to every six female students, but it could have been worse as Moorhead college reported that there was one male student for every thirteen female students. Meanwhile, the faculty were busy at work for the Paul Bunyan district of the Boy Scouts by holding organizational meetings in the region and promoting the formation of troops. There were currently several troops in Bemidji and a newly formed troop in Blackduck.

Former student John Shock had written to Dr. Hobson and reported in the Northern Student:

Shortly after I received your card we left the states. The Pacific indeed is terrific! There wasn’t much to do aboard ship except to read, bathe in the sun and watch the mighty Pacific roll by day after day. Although for days there wa...

Table of contents

• Acknowledgments
• Prologue
• 1941
• 1942
• 1943
• 1944
• 1945
• Notes
• References
• About the Author