Leadership: Lynton Keith Caldwell, Executive Secretary (1940-1944); Donald F. Carmony, Executive Secretary then Director (1944-1950); Jack J. Detzler, Director (1950-1964)
Students gathered in the Little Theatre of Central High School in South Bend, Indiana for an early Indiana University extension course, circa 1940s. Photo by H.C. Elmore.
In 1940, the university appointed a resident director for the South Bend-Mishawaka Extension Center. This marked a shift in the perception of the program in the eyes of the administration and the community. Area residents grew to recognize the benefit of college education and appreciate the convenience of local access. Enrollment doubled in the ten years between 1940 and 1950, reaching 1,370 credit-seeking students.
Indiana University Extension Center courses in South Bend were advertised in Polish-language newspaper Goniec Polski in 1941 (top). Non-credit professional development courses were provided by the Extension Center in collaboration with local public schools from 1940 to 1950.
The curriculum was largely confined to introductory undergraduate courses and professional development (like shorthand, letter writing, and public speaking). The Centers in South Bend and around the state were seen as junior colleges. Students were expected to complete two years of course work before transferring to the main campus.
The Extension Center coordinated military reservists between 1942 and 1946.
