Ryan ChartrandAs the first World War rumbled across Europe, many Cal Poly men committed themselves to serving for the United States armed forces. In total, 147 students participated in relief efforts, causing enrollment to drop at California Polytechnic School over the course of several years. As disabled war veterens returned home, the college offered special education opportunities for several hundred of them.
One student serving in the U.S. Navy – whose letter appears in the accompanying page of the Polygram – described the differences in schooling between the armed forces and Poly.
“I used to consider a two period examination an exceedingly long one at Poly,” M.E. Souza wrote. “But it doesn’t compare with our three day, twenty one hour examinations here. The last examination I took was a twenty-one hour one and we never had any shorter than seven hours.”