Lead: Originally conceived as a way of keeping unemployed ex-servicemen off the streets, the GI Bill transformed the campuses of American colleges. Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts. Content: Fearful that returning veterans would not be able to find jobs after World War II, Congress passed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. The main feature of the bill was a provision for unemployment benefits at the rate of $20 per week for a year. Almost as an afterthought, the bill's sponsors tossed in a section guaranteeing any qualified veteran the chance to attend college for 48 months, at least in part, at government expense. Listen to Segment Download [10.89 KB] Share
