"The first thing a baby sees when opening its eyes are its
parents and life begins with their friendship."
St. Augustine
Sermon 9, 7
The end of World War II, combined with generous educational benefits from
the G.I. Bill, resulted in a flood of students at Villanova. In the fall of 1946
about 2000 men showed up for classes, almost twice as many as the record enrollment just
before the Great Depression. With abundant tuition funds and a burgeoning national
economy, Villanova began putting up new structures at un unprecedented rate. These
included a Navy ROTC building, a Chemical Engineering building, a new heating plant, and a
new library. At the same time a more informal mood began to appear on campus.
