Lincoln Hall Project
War and the New Era
End of the War Era
The G.I. Bill Runs Its Course
In terms of numbers, the flood of veterans in the wake of the G.I. Bill was relatively brief. By 1950 University enrollment had begun to dip as veterans graduated, although it never fell again to pre-war levels as the University had expanded. The barracks-style living at the Gym Annex was closed, but after an outcry from students who preferred that type of housing the University added a similar facility on Fourth Street. Two years later, however, the facility was converted to traditional living space. The next generation of students didn’t appreciate barracks-style living as much as the veterans had.
More Stringent Admissions
Historians say that one of the most important legacies of the G.I. Bill was how it threw open the doors of college and made higher education a more common and accepted pursuit for millions of Americans. The growth in interest, however, also forced universities to control their size. After the war there were calls at Illinois for more stringent admissions standards.
By Dave Evensen