ABSTRACT
The allied victory in World War II left the United States in a commanding position, economically and politically, and Canada also prospered. Other participant countries-whether winning or losing-faced repairing lives, buildings, infrastructure, and economy. American government and commerce were eager to assist other countries in recovery, while America simply adjusted to peacetime prosperity. The G.I. Bill enabled many U.S. veterans to attend institutions of higher education. However, faculty at those institutions still had to compete for students, even within departments. By 1949, ESA membership began a rapid increase that has continued to the present day (Burgess 1981a,c and see Figure 2.1 in Chapter 2). As the ESA expanded, it began presenting two awards for outstanding contributions (Burgess 1977:19-21). Dr. Frank W. Preston established the Mercer Award in memory of British ecologist George Mercer, who was killed in World War I. It is awarded for an outstanding paper in an ESA journal and was rst presented in 1949, to Henry P. Hansen. The Eminent Ecologist Award was rst presented in 1953, to Gleason, for a lifetime contribution to ecology. These awards are presented at annual meetings and are announced in the Bulletin.
