Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1918 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosferdom Reported by Wire. REPORT SHOWS WAR RECORD Forty Students of the University of Purdue Were Killed or Died While Serving for Their Country. Lafayette, Dec. 27. —The annual report of the president and other officers of J’urdue university here for the fiscal year ending September 1, 1918, just published, devotes considerable attention to the war activities of the institution. Among the things pointed out are tlie record of the university in organizing the state for increased food production; in offering special courses of instruction; conducting military training for the student body; war services of members of the staff; the raising of SIB,OOO and SB,OOO for two war chests; erection of a new armory; recruiting two ambulance units; acquiring of membership in the American University union in Paris; training of two units of the boys’ working reserve; co-operation with the chemical warfare service; formal declaration of loyalty by the faculty; training of enlisted men and the performance of many miscellaneous services. Practically 3,000 Purdue men were in service and 40 of these were killed or died. Sixty-two members of the university staff entered military service and 20 others were in official war work in connection with their other duties. Four others resigned for civilian war. work. More than 5,000 enlisted men in the army training corps were trained at the university, including 1,208 in the collegiate corps, 3,063 in the vocational section, and 300 in the naval reserve unit. In speaking of the university’s record, VV. E, Stone, president of the institution, said: “Every individual nnd„every department evinced a commendable desire to participate effectively in war work.” The student enrollment was, reduced 25 per cent in the fall of 1917 by war conditions, numbering only 1,762. During the year more than 400 men withdrew to enter military service. In conection with the movement for a student building, to be knoWn as the Purdue union, the report suggests that it stand as a monument to the participation of the university in the world war, and those who laid down their lives in their country’s service.