When World War II began in September of 1939, Hope College continued to be relatively untouched as the United States did not enter the war until 1941. Even with the Selective Service Act in 1940, men enrolled in college, with a few exceptions, often were able to defer enlistment in the military. 

Editions of the Anchor in 1940 acknowledged the war, but it is not heavily featured. Each publication contained a section entitled “As I See It,” yet few of the articles urged students to participate and instead commented on the events overseas. One column by Dwight Grotenhouse asked the question, “Will We Have to Fight Germany?” and another reporter, George Lumsden, suggested continuing to give money to Britain to stay out of the war [1]. These articles indicate the men considered the possibility they may serve in the war, but were not actively preparing to enlist.

Women also considered their possible role if the United States entered the war. Nancy Boynton wrote a piece for the “As I See It” column claiming women provided valuable service in the last war in 1917 and will continue to do this if the war escalates. She writes, “The women did a limited amount of men's work in the factories, an extent which will be exceeded if our country enters war again. They drove ambulances, trucks in France, wore uniforms, made bandages, knitted socks, worked in canteens, had committees, replaced manpower at home, and gave priceless service for their country” [2]. Boynton opposed U.S. involvement in the war because the women would enter service industries instead of focusing on the home. 

Furthermore, the Anchor featuring May Day on May 10, 1940 references the war in the headlines stating, “Europe Declares 24 Hour Armistice Today As Nazi Government Lauds Hope May Day.” This article jokingly claims that the Allied and Central forces halted the fighting because they were in suspense over the crowning of the new May Day queen [3]. 

World War II was discussed by Hope College students early in the war, but it did not become as prominent until the United States entered the war. The Anchor discussed the conflict, but speculated if the United States would even become involved in the war. However, certain events brought the reality of the war closer to Hope College. 

In September 1940, the Anchor featured two refugees, named Paul Fried and Paul Gottwald, who fled to America from Austria after Hitler annexed Austria. Fried traveled to America after imprisonment in a German camp and Gottwald fled after being denied entry into school for his Jewish heritage [4]. Having refugees on campus may have made the situation early in World War II more real than Hope students originally perceived. 

These first-hand accounts and the Anchor articles from the time illustrate that both men and women were conscious of the war, yet the campus atmosphere was not consumed by the events occurring in Europe. 

George Vanderhill, an alumni from the 1940s, reflected on this period in the book Hope at the Crossroads: The War Years. Vanderhill commented, “What is surprising and somewhat disconcerting is the fact that, in looking through the large cumbersome scrapbook I kept at that time, I find few, if any, references to what was going on in the wider world. Part of that, I’m sure, is the fact that we did not have the instant worldwide communication we now have” [5]. 

References: 
[1] "As I See It," Hope College Anchor, January 29, 1941. "Will We Have to Fight Germany," Hope College Anchor, March 12, 1941. 
[2] “As I See It,” Hope College Anchor, February 26, 1941. 
[3] “Europe Declares 24 Hour Armistice Today As Nazi Government Lauds Hope May Day, ” Hope College Anchor, May 10, 1940.
[4] “Austrian Boys Feel America, Hope are O.K.,” Hope College Anchor, September 18, 1940. 
[5] Eileen Nordstrom and George Zuidema, Hope at the Crossroads: The War Years (Holland, Michigan: Hope College, 2008), 15.