Homes With A 50-Yard Line View
Trailers And Barracks Provide Housing For Returning WWII Veterans

Wittenberg's first new residence hall in more than 50 years was designed with input from students to ensure their satisfaction. Such was not the case 60 years ago as the college scrambled to provide housing for returning World War II veterans.

In January 1946, more than 100 veterans enrolled, and more than 40 were returning students. Men were housed in the east and west wings of the third floor of the I.O.O.F. Home located on McCreight Avenue and in the upper story of the Physical Education building as it was then called.

An article in the Torch dated Feb. 15, 1946, and titled "Woodlawn Hall Is Cupid's Castle" spoke of 11.5 couples that called Woodlawn home. The men were all veterans, two wives were WAVES, and one veteran was awaiting the arrival of his British bride.

College documents report that water and sewer lines were laid in March to service a toilet trailer and a trailer for laundry. The college then acquired 25 trailers, which were placed on the perimeter of the football field. The first of these were ready for occupancy by April 1, and in May an additional 25 trailers and 100 dormitory units for student veterans arrived on campus.

The trailer units were shipped from the Manhattan project site in Tennessee, and the barracks from Camp VanDorn, Miss. Federal legislation authorized additional funds for the veterans' temporary housing program - cooperative programming in which the government moved, converted and re-erected the housing on sites furnished by the college.

Wittenberg managed the project and took over the titles and complete operation of the barracks erected in the stadium on the corner of Woodlawn and McCreight, and the trailers on the perimeter of the football field. Thirtyseven buildings provided housing for 49 families and 96 single persons.

Paul L. Wilson '48 was a freshman living in Myers Hall in 1941, but returned a married veteran in June of 1946. He and his wife Sarah moved into trailer No. 10, and Sarah worked for the college to help support them.

"Our needs were simple," Wilson said. "We were more a trailer-park society than part of campus life. There were six couples in our group, and we were all in the same boat - everybody helped everybody. It was a marvelous existence."

According to Wilson, the inside dimensions of the trailers were six feet by 20 feet. They each had an icebox, a kerosene cooking ring and kerosene heater, but they did not have running water. The sink actually drained into a five-gallon garbage pail outside.

The couple eventually moved into trailer No. 4, an expandable unit with wings on each side, just beyond the 50-yard line.

“It was one of the best experiences of our lives,” Wilson said.

– Phyllis Eberts ’00