Evening star., 1947-09-07
Veterans Finances,
Jobs May Pull 33 Pct.
From Local Colleges
VA Streomlines System
To Speed Subsistence
Checks to Students
By George Beveridqe

IL ~ lCoCAlt III CilOo COIlIAlQC, up W
third of the World War II student
veterans who drop out of Washing
ton colleges during the next term
will do so because of financial diff
culties or to take jobs
This was indicated last night in
a Veterans Administration survey
of the dropouts earlier this year at
four major colleges in and near
the District-George Washington,
Georgetown, Catholic and Mary
land Universities.
The survey showed that 7.8 per
cent of the veterans enrolled
dropped out, while only So per cent
of the nonveterans left school. But
the percentage of former service
men who dropped out for scholastic
reasons was the smaller of the two.
More than $50 of the 1882 vet
Grams who failed to finish attributed
reasons directly to financial diff
culties." Another 225 said they were
leaving to take jobs.
Five Dropped for Low Grades.
George Washington listed only
five veterans, along with 13 nom
veterans, who were dropped because
of poor grades. Ten veterans, how
ever, were dropped for missing too
many classes and 81 others listed
LOB conflicts" as the reason for
leaving.
Forty per cent of those at Cath
olic University, on the other hand,
said they could not get along on
the amount of money they had,
while IL per cent left for scholastic
reasons. Twenty per cent of the
nonveterans left for the latter
reason.
A large number of former GIs at
Catholic and Georgetown Universe
ties said they weren't able to con-
tinue their studies because they
couldn't find housing. The largest
number at Maryland-85 out of 1856
who left-did so to take employ
ment.
And 80 other veterans at the
school said that home duties, fam
lily, etc." we're just too much for
them to continue with schooling.
VA to Speed Allowances.
In answer to the survey, the four
schools listed a total of 1885 vet
Grams and 10,943 nonveterans as be-
ing registered in the last term. OF
these, 1882 veterans dropped out
and GAS nonveterans left school.
Meanwhile, anticipating an en-
rollment of more than 10000 STU
dent veterans in and near Wash
ington this month, the Veterans
Administration last week set up a
new policy designed to eliminate de-
lays in payment of monthly sub
sistence allowances.
Under the CT bill, veterans with
out dependents get SOS a month
while going to school. Those with
dependents get 500.
The new agency policy wipes out
a ruling put into effect early this
year-which is held responsible for
delays of checks to thousands of
District students two months ago.
The earlier ruling said veterans
had to be removed from payment
rolls at the end of every term
even if they started school again in
day or two. The reason was to
prevent overpayments to those who
might decide not to continue the
following term. But for those who
did continue, the administrative
tie-up that followed because of the
added work resulted in long delays.
Schools to Certify Veterans.
Under the new policy, schools will
be asked to certify which veterans
will continue from one term to the
next, and payments will be unin-
terrupted, the agency said. This
will save Veterans Administrator
a vast amount of paper work and
lis certain to make the student
veterans considerably happier.
The siXsschools, and the veterans
enrollments they expect this month,
are:
George Washington, 1000; Mary
land, $500; Georgetown. 1895;
Howard, $500; American, 2,175, and
Catholic, 1000.
In addition, 800 veterans are ex-
pected to continue at the Central
High School Veterans Center and
600, officials say, will enroll at Arm
strong High School. Another 4,700
former servicemen are anticipated
at business schools and smaller uni
verSitieS throughout the city.