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Gold Star students

By Emily Jeffres

Following World War I, Colgate, like many colleges and universities, adopted this national movement to honor the students and alumni who died in service.

World Wars I and II
Individuals hold a banner of stars on the Academic Quadrangle in front of Lawrence Hall
Individuals hold a banner of stars on the Academic Quadrangle in front of Lawrence Hall

University officials hold a World War I service flag in front of Lawrence Hall, 1941

Remembering those who died in service to our country

Colgate is aware of the great cost of this war to our young men and of our responsibility to do our part to make a recurrence of the conditions which caused the war impossible.'

Alumni Office, 1946

The symbol of the Gold Star veteran began in World War I, when service flags were created to denote individuals — usually within families or institutions — who served in a war. Blue stars indicated each service member within a given group. The blue stars were replaced with gold stars for servicemen (and later, -women) who gave their lives. 

By the numbers, World War II had the largest impact on the campus. As the war tore through Europe and the South Pacific, loved ones of fallen Colgate students, alumni, and faculty received condolence letters from the Alumni office. “Colgate is aware of the great cost of this war to our young men,” the letters often began, “and of our responsibility to do our part to make a recurrence of the conditions which caused the war impossible.”1 

At the end of 1946, 141 Colgate students and alumni had lost their lives in activities related to World War II. The university honored these students — as it had in the past for fallen soldiers from other wars — with memorial publications, events, plaques, the Alumni War Memorial Scholarship, and the creation of a service flag.

President Everett Needham Case and Harold Whitnall view Colgate War Service Record, 1944

President Everett Needham Case and Harold Whitnall view Colgate War Service Record, 1944

Plaque with national and New York State flags above

Civil War memorial plaque in Administration Building, 1965

Explore the Archives

 

Letter to the spouse of a fallen alumnus
Letter to the spouse of fallen alumnus, 1946

 

 

Memorial program
Memorial service program, 1947

 

 

Image removed.
Illustration of World War I soldier, by Ernest Hamlin Baker, Class of 1913, Salmagundi, 1919

 

Notes & Sources

Endnotes

1. “My dear Mrs. Blanchard…” Letter from Alumni Office to spouse of Gold Star student, Burt Blanchard, January 5, 1946, Colgate University World War II records, A1057, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University

References
  • Colgate University World War I collection, A1207, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University
  • Colgate University World War II records, A1057, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University
  • Salmagundi [student yearbooks], A1288, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University
Images in order of appearance
  1. Colgate University World War I collection, A1207, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University
  2. Colgate University World War I collection, A1207, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University
  3. Buildings and Grounds collection, A1000, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University
  4. Colgate University World War II collection, A1057, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University
  5. Colgate University World War II collection, A1057, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University
  6. Colgate University Student Yearbooks, Salmagundi 1919, Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University

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