In 1947 Keller retired from the University and Holmes, who had returned from war-time naval service, became the second Dean of the College of Applied Science. The College of Agriculture split off and became the fourth University College, leaving Applied Science with curriculums in Engineering, Nursing, and Medical Technology. The University had been crowded by 2000 students in pre-war years. When Congress passed the G.I. Bill, providing educational benefits for veterans, it was apparent that double the number of students would soon be clamoring for admission. In 1947 the legislature provided funds for an administration building (Bachman Hall) and a chemistry building (Bilger Hall) but even this inadequate building program would not provide usable space during the next three or four years. It was difficult for many to realize that the days of the little cow college, under the rainbow at the foot of Manoa valley were over.

A few nostalgic old timers wanted to restrict the University enrollment, particularly the engineering enrollment, until adequate faculty and facilities could be provided. Fortunately that view did not prevail. In the best Land Grant College tradition, the University determined that the generation that fought the war should not be denied equal educational opportunity, even if classes had to be held under the trees. It did not come to that, but for awhile the facilities were minimal and the faculty overworked and underpaid.

Joseph F. Kunesh, a Honolulu engineer who had been Director of the Hawai`i Territorial Planning Board's Historic Inventory of Resources of the Territory in 1939, joined the University staff. At first as University Engineer and then, for four years, as Dean of the College of Applied Science, he performed the herculean labor of acquiring an entire surplus Army field hospital for the University and transporting about ninety barracks-type wooden buildings to the campus. In any available open space he set them up and converted them into offices, classrooms, work shops, a cafeteria, and apartments for faculty housing. They were equipped largely with surplus army furniture. This made it possible to more than double the University enrollment. It was confidently expected that within ten years these shacks could all be torn down and replaced by proper permanent buildings. In this, the year of our Lord 1975, some of them are still in service where Kunesh placed them.

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