The University of Chicago Library > The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center > Finding Aids > Guide to the University of Chicago Wartime Military Training Programs Records 1923-1955
© 2012 University of Chicago Library
| Title: | University of Chicago. Wartime Military Training Programs. Records |
|---|---|
| Dates: | 1923-1955 |
| Size: | 6 linear feet (10 boxes) |
| Repository: |
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center |
| Abstract: | This collection contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, financial records, curricula, evaluations, and correspondence related to the wartime activities of the University of Chicago. Materials in this collection primarily document the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and the Civil Aeronautics Administration's War Training Service Program (WTS). Other minor wartime programs contained within this collection include Army Sponsored Meteorological Training, Civil Affairs Training School, Institute for Military Studies, and Production Training for War Industries. Also contained with this collection are documents pertaining to the University's military programs during the interwar years and the University's activities during World War II. |
Records contained in Series VIII are restricted until 2024. The rest of collection is open for research.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: University of Chicago. Wartime Military Training Programs. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.
During the Second World War several programs of instruction were instituted at the University of Chicago. The major war activity of the University, in addition to research, was the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) inaugurated in the spring of 1943. The students in this program were enlisted and drafted soldiers who had demonstrated on intelligence and aptitude tests that they possessed outstanding qualifications for further training. The University provided instruction in basic-phase subjects and in several advanced courses including medicine, pre-medicine, area and language, and psychology. Those who had had only high school or a limited college experience were assigned to the basic phase of the program, and were given a broad background of training with instruction in English, history, mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering, and geography. The trainees who had completed some college work or who had special qualifications were assigned to one of a series of advanced courses that provided specialized training. The last group to be trained at the University graduated in October 1944.
The other major program was the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Originally established in 1939 to teach college and university students to fly, it was converted after the outbreak of war to a program of instruction for men in the armed services. Its name was changed to the CAA War Training Service (WTS) and provided instruction for Navy combat pilots, Army glider pilots, and Army flight instructors. These men took a two-month course, including ground school instruction and flight training. When the CPT Program was converted to military purposes, the University began a program to train civilian Aviation Ground School Instructors.
While the ASTP and the WTS were the major wartime training programs, the University did institute other smaller programs. Of note are the Civil Affairs Training School and Production Training for War Industries programs. The Civil Affairs Training School trained soldiers in military government at Provost Marshall General's School in Georgia and then they were sent to select universities for training in foreign languages and culture. At the University of Chicago, the soldiers were trained in Japanese language and culture. The Production Training for War Industries trained men for war industries through tuition free classes at the School of Business.
The Wartime Military Training Program Records contain correspondence, memoranda, reports, financial records, curricula, evaluations, and correspondence related to the wartime activities of the University of Chicago. Materials in this collection primarily document the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and the Civil Aeronautics Administration's War Training Service Program (WTS). Other minor wartime programs contained within this collection include Army Sponsored Meteorological Training; Civil Affairs Training School; Institute for Military Studies; and Production Training for War Industries. Also contained with this collection are documents pertaining to the University's military programs during the interwar years and the University's activities during World War II.
The collection is organized into seven series: Series I Interwar; Series II World War II, General Files; Series III Army Specialized Training; Series IV Civilian Pilot Training/ Wartime Training Service; Series V Minor Wartime Military Training Programs; Series VI Postwar and Series VII Restricted.
Series I, Interwar, consists of pamphlets and magazines pertaining to the military training programs at the University during the interwar period.
Series II, World War II, General Files consists of files about the University's response to World War II that was not part of the various military training programs. It also includes a paper written by Adolph T. Scott Jr. entitled "The University and World War II" that discuses in depth the University's activities during World War II.
Series III, Army Specialized Training, consists of files pertaining to the Army Specialized Training Program.
Series IV, Civilian Pilot Training/ Wartime Training Service, consists of files pertaining to the Civilian Pilot Training Program and the CAA War Training Service. While the Civilian Pilot Training files predates World War II, it was during World War II that it expanded and in 1942 it became the CAA War Training Service.
Series V, Minor Wartime Military Training Programs, consists of files pertaining to: Army Sponsored Meteorological Training; Civil Affairs Training School; Curtiss-Wright Engineering Program; The Institute of Military Studies; Navy and Marine Education Program; Production Training For War Industries; and Radio, Electronics, and Microwaves.
Series VI, Postwar, consists of documents pertaining to the University's postwar activities relating to veterans. Specifically, it includes documents related to veterans' education and housing.
Series VII, Restricted, consists of graded student material and is restricted until 2024.
The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections:
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/select.html
University of Chicago. World War I. Ephemera Collection.
Series I: Interwar |
| Box 1 Folder 1 | Military Science Program, 1923-1927 |
| Box 1 Folder 2 | National Defense Magazine, February 1928 |
Series II: World War II, General Files |
| Box 1 Folder 3 | Pre-war Debate Pamphlets and Press Releases, 1941 |
| Box 1 Folder 4 | Letter to Trustees, Deans and Advisory Officers, 1941 |
| Box 1 Folder 5 | Speeches, Pamphlets and Press Releases Pertaining to the University's role in World War II, 1942 |
| Box 1 Folder 6 | "A Useful Service" Chicago Tribune Editorial, 1942 |
| Box 1 Folder 7 | "The College in Wartime: New Responsibilities" Proceedings, 1942 |
| Box 1 Folder 8 | "Evenings in the Loop" 1942-1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 9 | Board of Vocational Guidance and Placement Bulletin,1942 |
| Box 1 Folder 10 | Board of Vocational Guidance and Placement Bulletin, 1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 11 | Board of Vocational Guidance and Placement Bulletin, 1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 12 | Board of Vocational Guidance and Placement Bulletin, 1945 |
| Box 1 Folder 13 | Yankee Service Bureau Pamphlet. Chicago Tribune, 1942 |
| Box 1 Folder 14 | University of Chicago World War II Pamphlets, 1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 15 | University of Chicago Class Pamphlets, 1942-1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 16 | Clippings, 1942-1945 |
| Box 1 Folder 17 | V.E. Day Memo, 1945 |
| Box 1 Folder 18 | General Documents, 1944, undated |
| Box 1 Folder 19 | Scott, Adolph T. "The University and World War II" 1955 |
Series III: Army Specialized Training |
| Box 1 Folder 20 | ASTP Manual, 1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 21 | ASTP Program, 1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 22 | National Examination, 1943-1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 23 | Instructor Criticism, 1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 24 | Trainee Evaluations, 1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 25 | Sectional Interviews, undated |
| Box 1 Folder 26 | Trainee's Criticisms of AST Personnel Psychology Course, 1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 27 | ASTP Documents and Correspondence, 1943-1945 |
| Box 1 Folder 28 | Pre-Professional Phase Reports, 1943-1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 29 | Pre-Medical Correspondence, 1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 30 | Basic Phase Reports, 1943-1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 31 | Basic Phase Grades and Rubric, 1943-1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 32 | Basic Phase Curriculum, 1944 |
| Box 1 Folder 33 | Course Descriptions and Curriculum, 1943-44 |
| Box 1 Folder 34 | Stanford ASTP-Schedules of Lectures and Assignment Sheets, undated |
| Box 1 Folder 35 | Stanford ASTP-Outline and Summary of Lectures, 1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 36 | Stanford ASTP-Material for Additional Reading: History, Anthropology and Language, 1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 37 | Stanford ASTP- Material for Additional Reading: Geography, 1943 |
| Box 1 Folder 38 | Stanford ASTP-Material for Additional Reading: Japan, 1943 |
| Box 2 Folder 1 | Stanford ASTP- Material for Additional Reading: Indonesia |
| Box 2 Folder 2 | Walter Johnson's Summary of American History Lectures, undated |
| Box 2 Folder 3 | Course in Topographic Surveying, undated |
| Box 2 Folder 4 | Social Science Research Committee Accounts, 1943-1944 |
| Box 2 Folder 5 | Ethnographic Board, 1944-1945 |
| Box 2 Folder 6 | Department of Geography, 1943 |
| Box 2 Folder 7 | Russian Language and Area Instruction, 1943 |
| Box 2 Folder 8 | Japanese Language and Area Instruction, 1943-1944 |
| Box 2 Folder 9 | Foreign Language and Area Documents, undated |
| Box 2 Folder 10 | Foreign Language and Area Correspondence, 1944 |
| Box 2 Folder 11 | Foreign Language and Area Correspondence, 1945 |
| Box 2 Folder 12 | Linguistic Department Correspondence, 1943-1944 |
| Box 2 Folder 13 | Linguistic Department Grade Distribution, undated |
| Box 2 Folder 14 | Basic Phase and Foreign Language and Area Statistics, undated |
| Box 2 Folder 15 | Language Instruction Account Book, 1943-1944 |
| Box 2 Folder 16 | Language Instruction Account Book, 1943-1944 |
| Box 2 Folder 17 | Cyril O. Houle Typed Manuscripts, undated |
| Box 2 Folder 18 | Cyril O. Houle Correspondence, 1943 |
| Box 2 Folder 19 | Cyril O. Houle Correspondence, 1944 |
| Box 2 Folder 20 | Office of Assistance Business Manager Correspondence, 1943-1947 |
| Box 2 Folder 21 | Typewriting Office Accounts, 1944 |
| Box 2 Folder 22 | Budgetary Materials, 1944 |
| Box 3 Folder 1 | Cost Statements, 1944-1945 |
| Box 3 Folder 2 | Transfer Accounts, 1945-1946 |
| Box 3 Folder 3 | Change of Grade Reports, 1944 |
| Box 3 Folder 4 | Change of Status Reports, 1944 |
| Box 3 Folder 5 | Faculty Participation in ASTP, undated |
| Box 3 Folder 6 | List of Instructors, 1943 |
| Box 3 Folder 7 | Teaching Hours of Instructors, 1943, undated |
| Box 3 Folder 8 | Staff Information, 1943-1944 |
| Box 3 Folder 9 | Temporary Employees, 1945-1946 |
| Box 3 Folder 10 | Contract Revisions, 1944 |
| Box 3 Folder 11 | Teaching Appointments, 1945 |
| Box 3 Folder 12 | Academic Appointments, 1943 |
| Box 3 Folder 13 | Academic Appointments, January/1944-June/1944 |
| Box 3 Folder 14 | Academic Appointments, July/1944-September/1944 |
| Box 3 Folder 15 | Academic Appointments, 1944-1945 |
| Box 3 Folder 16 | Academic Appointments, 1945-1946 |
Series IV: Civilian Pilot Training/ Wartime Training Service |
| Box 4 Folder 1 | CPT Pamphlets, undated |
| Box 4 Folder 2 | Curricula for Aviation Ground School, undated |
| Box 4 Folder 3 | Session 43-J List of Students |
| Box 4 Folder 4 | Session 43-J Trainee Statements, 1943 |
| Box 4 Folder 5 | Session 43-J Ground Schools Records,1943 |
| Box 4 Folder 6 | Session 43-J Rejection and Reassignments, 1943 |
| Box 4 Folder 7 | Session 43-J Robert Slamp Flying Service Records, 1943 |
| Box 4 Folder 8 | Session 43-J Receipts for Lodging, Board and Transportation, 1943 |
| Box 4 Folder 9 | Session 43-J General Documents |
| Box 4 Folder 10 | Cyril O. Houle CTP/WTS Correspondence, 1942-1943 |
| Box 4 Folder 11 | General Correspondence, June/1942-August/1942 |
| Box 4 Folder 12 | General Correspondence, September/1942-October/1942 |
| Box 4 Folder 13 | General Correspondence, November/1942-December/1942 |
| Box 4 Folder 14 | General Correspondence, 1943 |
| Box 4 Folder 15 | Budget Correspondence, July/1942-August/1942 |
| Box 4 Folder 16 | Budget Correspondence, September/1942-December/1942 |
| Box 4 Folder 17 | Budget Correspondence, January/1943-June/1943 |
| Box 5 Folder 1 | Budget Correspondence, July/1943-December/1943 |
| Box 5 Folder 2 | Budget Correspondence, 1944 |
| Box 5 Folder 3 | Financial Information for all Training Sessions, 1942-1943 |
| Box 5 Folder 4 | CAA Accounts, 1943-1944 |
| Box 5 Folder 5 | CTA/WTS Documents, 1942-1943 |
Series V: Minor Wartime Military Training Programs |
| Box 5 Folder 6 | Air Crew, 1944 |
| Box 5 Folder 7 | Army Sponsored Meteorological Training- Pamphlets, 1942, undated |
| Box 5 Folder 8 | Army Sponsored Meteorological Training- Admissions Documents, undated |
| Box 5 Folder 9 | Army Sponsored Meteorological Training- Admissions Correspondence, 1942-1951 |
| Box 5 Folder 10 | Army Sponsored Meteorological Training- Course Outlines, 1944 |
| Box 5 Folder 11 | Civil Affairs Training School- Students Manuals, 1942-1945 |
| Box 5 Folder 12 | Civil Affairs Training School- Documents, 1944-1945 |
| Box 5 Folder 13 | CMTC Pamphlets, 1941 |
| Box 5 Folder 14 | Curtiss-Wright Engineering Program, 1944 |
| Box 5 Folder 15 | The Institute of Military Studies-Conference on Pre-Induction Military Training, 1942 |
| Box 5 Folder 16 | The Institute of Military Studies-Pre-Induction Military Training Forms, 1942-1944 |
| Box 5 Folder 17 | The Institute of Military Studies-Documents and Clippings,1936-1942 |
| Box 5 Folder 18 | Navy and Marine Education Program, 1943-1951 |
| Box 5 Folder 19 | Production Training For War Industries-Pamphlets, 1943 |
| Box 5 Folder 20 | Production Training For War Industries- Documents, 1941-1943 |
| Box 5 Folder 21 | Production Training For War Industries- Certificates, undated |
| Box 5 Folder 22 | Radio, Electronics, and Microwaves- Radio Training School First Annual Report, 1943 |
| Box 5 Folder 23 | Radio, Electronics, and Microwaves- Documents and Pamphlets, 1942-1943 |
Series VI: Postwar |
| Box 6 Folder 1 | Citation Order, 1944 |
| Box 6 Folder 2 | Faculty Exchange Memo, 1944 |
| Box 6 Folder 3 | Toxicity Lab Press Release, 1946 |
| Box 6 Folder 4 | Clippings, 1946 |
| Box 6 Folder 5 | Veterans Attending College Press Release, 1946 |
| Box 6 Folder 6 | Veterans Attending College Statistics, 1946 |
| Box 6 Folder 7 | Instruction Sheet For Student Enrollment Under Public Law 346, 1945 |
| Box 6 Folder 8 | Veterans' Education Pamphlets, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 9 | General Educational Development Tests, 1946 |
| Box 6 Folder 10 | Veterans' Testing Service, 1947-1951 |
| Box 6 Folder 11 | Air Force Officer Education Documents, 1948, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 12 | American Veterans Committee Documents, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 13 | Veterans' Housing Documents, 1945-1946, undated |
| Box 6 Folder 14 | Veterans' Housing Clippings,1946-1952 |
| Box 6 Folder 15 | Veterans' Nursing Program, 1946-1954 |
Series VII: Restricted |
| Box 7 Folder 1 | Army Specialized Training- Linguistic Department Grades, undated |
| Box 7 Folder 2 | War Training Service- Session 43-J Grades and Evaluations, 1943 |
| Box 8 Folder 1 | Army Specialized Training- Report Cards, 1944, undated |
| Box 9 Folder 1 | Army Specialized Training- Report Cards, undated |
| Box 10 Folder 1 | Army Specialized Training- Report Cards, undated |