St Norbert College around WWII
Fr. Rowland De Peaux has been on the St. Norbert Campus ever since he first attended school here in 1944. During this time, St. Norbert was a men’s college only and because of World War II, there was a surprisingly low enrollment. Out of Fr. De Peaux's high school (Central Catholic High) class of 24, only one other classmate joined the order with him. I asked him if any of his close friends joined the war and this was his response:
In 1944 and 1945, there were approximately only 65 college students on campus. All the other students came from the Army Specialized Training Program, which was provided from the army and brought hundreds of students to St. Norbert to prepare, train, and gain and education. There were ads all over campus about getting ready to join the army. For most, they didn’t have any other choice. Recruiting Officers would come straight to campus and recruit the students right from campus.
Fr. De Peaux’s Father was actually a soldier in the First World War. He also had one younger brother who was too young to join the War and many uncles who were too old. However, he did have quite a few cousins who were inducted into WWII, many of which, are not with us anymore.
Back then, everyone on campus had to register at the draft ward. For Fr. De Peaux, he was listed as a seminarian which meant, because he was joining the order, he was exempt from the services. For more on this, please watch the following video:
In 1948, when the War was over and G.I bills came into place, all the students that were originally part of St. Norbert College returned back to their studies. This was a huge spark for the St Norbert campus and some even argue that this was the turning point on when St. Norbert College really started to develop as a successful college campus. As more and more soldiers returned to campus, the campus grew with the old and new students.
The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) has had a presence on St. Norbert College’s since 1936. The ROTC program focuses on the development of leadership skills and military science. With the completion of the four-year ROTC training program, a participant will be eligible for commissioning as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. The mission statement of the ROTC program emphasizes the development of personal traits such as integrity, courage, loyalty, respect, and honor; traits that have helped St. Norbert College’s ROTC graduates positively impact the world around them.