Publisher's Synopsis
In 1944, John Stelle, WW I Veteran and former Illinois governor, became known as "The Father of the GI Bill" after he quarterbacked a team of American Legion volunteers who, in six short months, saw the GI Bill of Rights written, signed and enacted into law.
During World War II, while Stelle supported the war effort stateside, he received a letter from his son John Albert, who was recuperating in a London hospital after being seriously wounded during an artillery barrage. John Albert, in his letter, wrote about the various types of assistance that returning veterans would need from the U.S. government. John Stelle, who had been a founding member of the American Legion, took his son's letter to heart and approached Legion leadership with a proposal to organize a committee to draft proposed federal legislation that would address the health, financial and educational needs of returning soldiers. The Legion adopted the idea wholeheartedly and named John Stelle as chairman of the executive committee to lead the project. Stelle recruited key individuals to participate in the executive committee. They worked day and night for weeks on end to produce an initial draft, which was then presented to the US Senate and House of Representatives. Stelle led the political fight to get the bill enacted, which surprisingly had many critics and opponents, including Franklin Roosevelt himself.From the day of Roosevelt's signing, John Stelle became known as "The Father of the GI Bill". He was the only Legion member present in the Oval Office at the signing. He was commonly referred to as the Father of the GI Bill for not only the remainder of his life, but in the years since his passing. In 2004, the "Education Commission of the States" held its annual forum in Florida. Each year they name a recipient of their 'James Bryant Conant Award', to an American who made a significant contribution to advancing education. The 2004 award went posthumously to the Father of the GI Bill, John Stelle. "Father of the GI Bill" is a comprehensive biography of this extraordinary, patriotic American, including Stelle's family, political and entrepreneurial endeavors.