Recently the Chapel Hill, N. C. (University of North Carolina), chapter sponsored a survey on living costs of veterans in school and found that of the 862 individuals who filled out questionnaires, 99.4 percent are not able to live on their GI subsistence allowance; that 50 percent have had to cash in their war bonds to live on, 84 percent have had to use up their savings, 40 percent have borrowed money, and 68 percent have accepted money from relatives or friends. The average total cost of living for the veterans with no dependents was $95.35 per month, for the veterans with two or more dependents was $153.47 per month. Results of the survey are being forwarded to members of the Veterans' Affairs Committees of both Houses of Congress and to North Carolina Senators and Representatives with a request for an increase in subsistence allowances. REPORT OF LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMITTEE, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA CHAPTER, AMERICAN VETERANS COMMITTEE, ON COST OF LIVING OF VETERAN STUDENTS The average monthly cost of living for 104 single veterans sampled was $97, running from a low of $39 to a high of $198. The handful of single veterans who manage on $65 or less are either living with parents or are in a special position, where a substantial portion of their expenses is taken care of, or are sacrificing some of the requisites of a well-rounded college life. To live in reasonable comfort the single veteran must spend at least $75 per month. He need not spend more than $135. The average monthly expenditure calculated by two statistical methods is about $95. Ninety-one percent of the single veterans sampled spend over $71. The single veteran in most cases is paying around $39 a month for board. Room rent averages $20. Laundry costs run from $2 to $10, hitting about $5 for most. The average monthly expense for clothes is $9. Entertainment, $15. The women averaged $14 on clothes, $6 on entertainment. Of the single veterans sampled, 32 percent were working an average of 12 hours a week; 62 percent were drawing on savings; and 21 percent were receiving help from relatives; 22 percent were adding to savings an average of $24 a month. Variations observed in the spending habits of fraternity men (veterans), who constitute about 9 percent of the total veterans on campuses, did not differ markedly from nonfraternity men. For the 56 married veterans interviewed, living costs averaged $174, with a high of $260 and a low of $83. Eliminating the extremely low and the extremely high expenditures, which may be traced to special conditions, 80 percent averaged between $124 and $220. Housing and food costs eat up the monthly $90 check, and usually a little more. To be more specific, food averaged $71 a month; rent $35. Expenditure for clothing, $12; entertainment $11. To obtain the additional money needed, 20 of the veterans interviewed work an average of 19 hours per week; 15 were withdrawing from savings; and 9 were receiving gifts. Twentyone wives and one husband of interviewees were working. Twenty-two couples were finding it possible to add to savings an average of $69 a month. The wife of only 1 of the 14 veterans with children was working. It is important to observe that of those veterans who have jobs, four of five feel that working interferes with their studying. The survey shows a more serious interference in the case of married veterans. creases. The question of whether or not the veterans think the subsistence allowance should be increased was not asked in the survey, but 39 volunteered comments favoring higher subsistence allotments, with a few supporting discrimination in favor of married veterans or fathers. Nine specifically opposed subsistence inThe arguments against increases varied: That the GI bill was not intended to underwrite completely the ex-serviceman's education. On the side for an increase are those veterans who are having a tough time making a supply of cash equal demands. A large percentage of the veterans are in favor of raising or abolishing the limits on the amount a veteran may earn over his subsistence allowance. EXHIBIT No. 10 Allegheny College subsistence questionnaire sponsored by Meadville Chapter, BASIC INDIVIDUAL SUBSISTENCE QUESTIONNAIRES PROVIDED, SHOWING COST OF $103 FOR SINGLE, $130 MARRIED Personal: SUBSISTENCE QUESTIONNAIRE Name of school at Alfred U. (L. A., Ceramics, Ag. Tech, etc.) which you are attending at present Section of GI bill you are covered by (check one): Marital status (check one): Public Law 346 Public Law 16 Single |