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Constitutional Convention.
Congress proactively decides against establishing a free, national university system. The Constitution contains no direction regarding higher education, despite support from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. -
Period: to
Student Loans, 1787-1965
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Lincoln passes the Morill-Wade Land Grant College Act
Lincoln wanted to public establish agricultural schools to promote skilled workers and increase production. (Pictured is Representative Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont, who proposed the bill.) -
World War I Ends
The conclusion of World War I leads to an economic boom and an uptick in college enrollment. -
GI Bill or The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 passes
This bill stipulated that with two years of service, soldiers were guaranteed three years of college, sufficient time to complete a degree at the time. Many political champions viewed this as deferred compensation for their service, not a handout. -
The establishment of the College Scholarship Service
The College Scholarship Service was a coalition of private postsecondary institutions who implemented a system that awarded financial aid to students based on need. -
The National Defense Act (NDEA) is passed.
The National Defense Act (NDEA) was passed to counter the Soviet's launch of Sputnik by recruiting and training scientists and engineers. After the escalation of the Soviet's space program, the U.S. became worried that they were falling behind in math and science. The National Defense Student Loan came out of the NDEA and provided financial aid to those pursuing education and training that would help develop U.S. defense. The NDSL is a predecessor to the Federal Perkins Loan and includes loan fo
