Sailors in the United States Navy Signal School stand outside of Butler Fieldhouse

Description:	The caption on the back of this photograph reads WWII era photos taken from yearbook and Butler Archives. Many used in 1994 Homecoming publications. Re-shot by Brent Smith, August 1994. Cropping marks are located along the edges of the photograph and the original photographs (central photograph and photograph on the right) were taken by the United States Navy. The actual photographs were published in the 1943 Drift, Butler Universitys yearbook, and the main photograph shows sailors in the United States Navy Signal School standing outside of Butler Fieldhouse, later renamed Hinkle Fieldhouse. According to the 1943 Drift, The arrival of the United States Navy Signal School on the campus last spring was the first step toward the revolutionizing of the campus and making the student body acutely war conscious. Over five hundred sailors were stationed in what was once the scene of Butler athletic events, the fieldhouse. Sleeping quarters were constructed in what used to be the gym, the track was covered with asphalt to serve as a place for drilling, and a new and modern kitchen and mess hall were installed. The out-dated heating plant was stripped and a new one was installed. The boys in blue soon became a familiar sight around the campus. They held classes in classrooms in Jordan Hall. Many of the campus sororities held socials and dinners in honor of the sailors. They were admitted free to Butler football games. The familiar football field was converted into a signal practice training field. The telephone poles became masts bearing pulleys and gaily colored signal flags. The field itself became a drilling ground for training the men. Commander H. C. Stigtenhorst commanded the ship. Classes were graduated from the school every three months. However, with the arrival of the army air crew mid-way in the second semester the navy was on its way out. The last class of signal men trained to serve their country at Butler was graduated early in June (p. 9). On March 1, 1943, the 52nd College Training Detachment of Butler University was established (p. 8). A division of the United States Army, which was also known as the Air Crew, it provided additional education to its students who were potential pilots. These students were also stationed at Butler Fieldhouse, as well as at campus fraternity houses.
Origin:	1994-08
Created By:	Smith, Brent
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BldgsGrnds/id/955
Collection:	Butler University Buildings and Grounds Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Geography:	Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 39.843607, -86.167299 39.843607 -86.167299
Subjects:	Butler University--Buildings College buildings Field houses Sports facilities Gymnasiums Basketball arenas United States--Navy--Signalmen Yearbooks Photographs Butler University--History Indianapolis (Ind.)--History People Hinkle Fieldhouse Butler Fieldhouse United States--Navy--Signal School (Butler University) Fairview campus

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