Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-11-12
Vast Educational Program
Awaits Returning Veterans
Benefits Expected to Launch Greatest Go.to.School
Rush in History, With Both Service
Men and Women Eligible
By Stephen G. Thompson

DV VIC RUCU
If money can do the trick, Congress
has creased the skids for a mid
20th-century renaissance in the United
States. It has always paid to go to
school, but never so handsomely--in
hard, cold cash-as under the terms
of the new "GI Bill of Rights" passed
for the benefit of the 12,0oo,o00 Ameri-
can servicemen and servicewomen of
the present war. The educational and
training provisions of the bill may start
the greatest "go-to-school rush" in all
history. r.
There are just one or two brief
sentences referring to these school
Misunderstanding simply that the dis
charged serviceman or servicewoman
will be eligible for from one to four
years of schooling or training, for which
the Government will pay up to $500
year for tuition, books and similar
expenses, plus $50 month for sub
sistence, or SIS if the veteran has any
dependents.
However, close study of the bill and
Its amazing potentialities discloses that
it may well become one of the most
remarkable milestones in public educa-
ton in America. The bill not only
paves, it literally carpets, the way for
every CT Joe and CT Jane to learn
the most valuable and profitable lessons
Of their lives.
Benefits for All.
These training and education benefits
apply to all veterans, both men and
women, who have served a minimum Of
80 days. or were discharged sooner be-
cause of an actual service incurred dis
ability.
Nor are these school benefits to be
confused with the extensive correspon-
dence courses of "Foxhole University"
(the United States Armed Forces Insti-
tute) or with the vocational and educa-
tional courses that will be given abroad
while men are awaiting transportation
back to the United States after the
war. Neither Of these programs will
interfere in any way with veterans
eligibility for all the benefits provided
by the CT Bill of Rights.
Because of the $500 tuition figure,
the average person generally thinks
ost-discharge education provides only
for college study. But that's not true.
Even elementary or sgrammar-school
education is included; in fact, study is
permitted in any approved public or
private educational or vocational insti-
tuition at any level, or in any approved
business or industrial establishment
which gives apprentice or vocational
training on the job.
sWide Range of Choice.
Furthermore, the student can choose
any approved school which will accept
him in any State, or even outside the
United States, regardless of his resi-
dence. And he can select his own
courses in any field the school finds
him qualified to study.
The educational provisions were
drawn primarily for servicemen or
servicewomen whose education or train
ing was disrupted. But men or women
under Is before entering service auto
matically qualify for all the tuition and
subsistence benefits, no matter how
many years it may have been since they
went to school before induction, or at
what grade their study stopped.
Only servicemen or servicewomen over
Is when they were inducted-a COM
paratively small percentage of the
armed forces-will not be eligible for
the full benefits, unless they can prove
their study was interrupted.
But even these older vetearns, re-
CARELESS of any disruption, will still be
qualified for not more than one school
year of a refresher or retraining
course-either educational or vocational,
with the same tuition and subsistence
allowances.
The actual school charges under the
rather liberal tuition allowance of up
to $500 year-this can include labora-
tory and other established fees, but not
board or lodging-will be paid direct
to the institution by the Veterans Ad-
ministration, which is in charge of
this program.
Ample Allowance.
In New York City and other metro
politan areas the additional subsistence
allowance of $50 month may not be
enough for a single person, or SIS for
couple.
But in most Southern States. and in
thousands of smaller communities and
rural areas throughout the entire coun-
try, these sums will have far greater
relative values.
For young veteran returning to a
rural area, $50 a month in cash, or SIS
If he has dependent, will be power
full inducement to enroll for school
again. Especially will this be so If
he is qualified only for grammar or high
school, and if he can thus take a
full-time course at local school and
lend hand with the farm work on
the side.
Even veterans returning to live in
countless medium-sized cities or towns
may find $50 or SIS month big help
toward comfortable living. especially
If they can supplement it with a part
time job.
Schooling vs.. Eoafing.
The bill reduces or eliminates the
veterans allowances only If he is taking
part-time courses or working full time,
or If he receives pay for work he per-
forms as part of an on-the-job training
course.
The CT bill also provides unem-
ployment benefits, more liberal thar
the education subsistence payments
but the former have many restric-
lions. The unemployed veteran must