Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

New Hampshire College's World War I Training Camp: An Archaeological Investigation, Jillian M. Price

Honors Theses and Capstones

In May 1918, New Hampshire College received the first of five detachments of World War I draftees to their newly-established training camp. Under a War Department program that converted colleges to vocational training centers, these men trained as army carpenters, engineers, electricians, and mechanics. During their stay on campus, these men built two barracks to serve as their own housing. In the summer of 2012, and archaeological investigation uncovered the remains of these barracks, recovering architectural materials and evidence of soldiers' leisure activities. This paper discusses the history of the vocational training camp program, analyzes its impact on local communities …