An increase in class size accompanied the housing crunch. Francis J. Heppner '49 remembers that "some of the lecture classes were just huge," with more than 1,000 students.

The increase in enrollment due to the GI Billin the late 1940s marked a permanent shift inHarvard admissions. The pre-war norm of 3,500 wasforever discarded and enrollment consistentlyremained above 5,000.

Not Your Father's Harvard

The Class of 1949 was not only larger thanpre-war classes, but it represented a broaderspectrum of society. For the first time, studentswho were not independently wealthy could attendthe nation's top universities in large numbers.

"The GI Bill turned higher education from afairly genteel and elite fare relevant for a smallminority into mass education," says ThomasProfessor of Government and of Sociology ThedaSkocpol.

The bill provided money for tuition and booksup to $500, a more than adequate sum, and a smallmonthly stipend. For newly-released veterans, manyof whom already had families, these measures madehigher education possible.

When Calvin J. Goodman '49 entered Harvard inthe summer of 1946 at age 24, he had a wife, twosmall children and no money.

"We were fed by the school," he says.

The free tuition, books, and stipend providedby the government and the lowcost housing offeredby the University enabled Goodman to attendHarvard.

"We had a lot of help from the University and alot of help from the GI Bill," he says. "If notfor the GI Bill I wouldn't have even been able tothink about Harvard."

Despite the bill's benefits, Goodman held afull-time job while going to school. While Goodmanworked, his wife attended class and took notes inhis absence, and his two young children went tothe University-run nursery school.

Goodman still managed to graduate with honorsafter only two and a half years, and reported forhis new job two days after completing his lastfinal.

Fifty years later, Goodman is still gratefulfor the opportunities the GI Bill made possible."It was one of the greatest things this governmentever did," he says.

Unlike Goodman, Herbert R. Waite '49 hadalready enrolled in Harvard before serving in themilitary, but he also credits the GI Bill forallowing him to complete his final three years ofschool.

"I was very definitely intending to go tocollege; it was more a question of finances,"Waite says. "I owe so much of what I'veaccomplished in my life to my education. I thankGod for my opportunity to attend Harvard College."

Fight Hard, Study Hard