Growth of the School
As the school grew it changed names in an effort to emphasize different aspects of the curriculum. From 1934 to 1948 it was called the New Hampshire School of Accounting and Finance and from 1949 to 1957 it was the New Hampshire School of Accounting and Commerce.
At a time when business schools were not required to have credentialed instructors, Harry A. B. Shapiro made the quality of his programs a top priority. He insisted that his instructors have both college degrees and experience in business.
Support for the United States Military is a Southern New Hampshire University tradition begun by Mr. Shapiro. Starting in 1941 the school offered educational opportunities to service members stationed at Grenier Field, accepted disabled veterans under federal and state vocational training programs, and participated in bond drives to raise money for the war effort. Numerous students attended the school after the war on the G.I. Bill.
As more students enrolled, additional rooms were rented in the Athens Building. When enrollments dropped, the extra rooms were sublet to other businesses including a dance studio and an insurance company. Enrollment peaked at around 150 students in the years after World War II.