N TAC ). ▁Edward ▁Ever ett ▁Davis ▁replaced ▁Williams ▁as ▁de an ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁and ▁held ▁that ▁position ▁for ▁ 2 1 ▁years . ▁ ▁Davis ▁worked ▁contin ually ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁students , ▁fac ulty , ▁and ▁facilities . ▁The ▁Great ▁De pression ▁resulted ▁in ▁major ▁cut s ▁to ▁fund ing ▁and ▁a ▁decl ine ▁in ▁students , ▁so ▁more ▁general ▁college ▁courses ▁were ▁gradually ▁introduced ▁at ▁N TAC ▁instead ▁of ▁voc ational ▁classes . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁college ▁trained ▁students ▁with ▁a ▁" war ▁program " ▁focus ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁V - 1 2 ▁Navy ▁College ▁Training ▁Program , ▁offered ▁at ▁ 1 3 1 ▁colleg es ▁and ▁univers ities ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁which ▁gave ▁students ▁a ▁path ▁to ▁a ▁Navy ▁commission . ▁Dean ▁Davis ▁appointed ▁Ernest ▁H . ▁Here ford , ▁then ▁Reg istr ar ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁associate ▁de an ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁Following ▁Davis ' s ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁Here ford ▁was ▁appointed ▁de an ▁of ▁N TAC . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁the ▁Texas ▁A & M ▁System ▁was ▁created ▁and ▁Dean ▁Here ford ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁first ▁president ▁of ▁N TAC . ▁The ▁name ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁Ar ling ton ▁State ▁College ▁( ASC ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁to ▁reflect ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁agricult ure ▁was ▁no