Old-School Homeland Security

During World War II, men were in short supply on college campuses across the nation. But in 1943, the Navy’s V-12 and the Army’s A-12 college training programs tilted the gender scales closer into balance, as colleges like Denison were used to prepare young men entering military service. Denison’s Army Air Corps unit of 200 (whose ranks included future U.S. Chief Justice William Rehnquist) were trained in meteorology. An additional 800 Navy men and 220 Marines completed 28-month programs at Denison before entering their branches for more specialized training. After spending 42 hours each week in concentrated studies, and another 15 hours in basic military train ing (drills, swimming and “setting-up exercises”) the cadets still found time and energy to join fraternities, act in theatricals, and presumably to enjoy the company of Denison’s “civilian” students.