The Birth and Nurturing of The Industrial Engineering OPTION

Founded in 1882 under President White, the School of Mechanical Engineering really began to flourish during the seventeen years of President James H. Smart's administration. By 1900, when Smart died, there were approximately 500 students majoring in en gineering, 202 of whom were in mechanical engineering.

Mechanics Hall, which was the first building specifically for engineering, housed not only the Department of Practical Mechanics but also had facilities for steam engineering and materials testing. As pointed out previously, it was completely in adequa te and additional laboratories and equipment were squeezed into the basement of Building No. 2. The completion of Heavilon Hall was to provide a temporary solution for Mechanical Engineering. Further, the completion of the Michael Golden Engineering Labor atory Building (to become known as Mike's Castle) in 1910 further eased the space situation. Nonetheless, the changing needs of the school clearly indicated growth and the need for now separate facilities. Unfortunately, anumber of years were to elapse be fore the present building was completed and dedicated on May 5, 1933.

Early in the 1900's, probably as an outgrowth of the work of Frederick Taylor, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, and others, there appeared to be increasing national interest in industrial engineering and management. An indication of this attitude was the es tablishment of a curriculum in industrial engineering at Pennsylvania State College (now University) in 1908. Not to be outdone in this movement, in the same year Purdue added two courses offered in mechanical engineering. In 1914, three more courses were added and an industrial option was offered. This option was to be called "Industrial Management," then "Production Management" and eventually (in 1947-1948) "Industrial Engineering."

The initial course work in industrial engineering and management at Purdue was begunm by Charles Benjamin (dean of Engineering from 1907 to 1920) and continued briefly by William T. Heck and Professor Lawrence W. Wallace (Dean Benjamin's former pupil). In 1914 industrial engineering and management became a full-scale senior option, and the basic courses in the field were taken by all seniors in the ME School.

In the 1920's, industrial engineering and management came under the jurisdiction of two colorful and memorable figures, Frank C. Hockema and George H. Shepard. Hockema was a very popular teacher and highly regarded by both students and colleagues. He b ecame assistant to President Edward Elliot in 1934, executive dean in 1945. He was said to be the most accessible man on the campus and one of the friendliest.

Professor Shepard, who was a retired naval officer, taught such courses as motion study, time study, and industrial design. He became a campus "character" and acquired the nickname, "Eagle Beak." He was a calm, factual, and self-possessed man and, acco rding to H.B. Knoll (In The Story of Purdue Engineering), "he drew more attention than a four-alarm fire." Shepard tried to live by what he taught and literally ran his life by stopwatch. It is not surprising that he planned the registration procedure tha t took place in the Armory every semester for many years.

In the 1930's Dr. Jack E. Walters made industrial management a major concern of students and staff. The holder of two titles, director of personnel for the Schools of Engineering and professor of personnel administration, he was a friendly, polished pe rson and organized a number of conferences that were attended by participants from industry. He is also remembered for securing the first equipment for a motion study laboratory in Heavilon Hall.

Among the many people who had an influence on industrial engineering at Purdue, Dean A.A. Potter deserves mention. He was dean of the Schools of Engineering from 1920 to 1953 and before that had been dean of Engineering at Kansas State University. Pott er had invited Frank B. Gilbreth to speak to his students at Manhattan, Kansas; and he continued this practice after he came to Purdue. Frank Gilbreth's power to stimulate engineering students was so great that he was offered a professorship at Purdue sho rtly before his death in 1924. And it is of interest to note that he had visited Purdue just prior to his death. Following Gilbreth's death, Potter asked Gilbreth's wife, Dr. Lillian M. Gilbreth, to continue his lectures and she accepted. In 1935 she was invited by President Elliot and Dean Potter to become a member of the faculty and was appointed professor of management in the Schools of Engineering. As an example of her assignments, in 1939 she taught advanced management problems, conducted research, a nd gave individual lectures in two other general engineering courses. Dr. Gilbreth continued on the Purdue faculty until her retirement at the age of 70 in 1948. Following her retirement she continued to visit the campus regularly until shortly before her death in 1972.

During her tenure at Purdue, Lillian Gilbreth served not only on Dean Potter's staff, but also under Dr. F.B. Knight in the Division of Education and Psychology, on Dean Mary Matthews' staff in Home Economics, and as an advisor on careers for women on the staff of the dean of women. Her influence on women students on the campus was greatly enhanced by the fact that when she was on campus she always lived in one of the women's residence halls (usually Wood Hall). Because of her interest in motion study, she also worked closely with Professor H. Barrett Rogers and his successor, Marvin E. Mundel, in the development of motion and time study activities. Lillian Gilbreth's allegiance to the University was further emphasized when Purdue was singled out in 19 39 as the repository for all Frank Gilbreth's books, files, home lab records, and artifacts. Following Lillian Gilbreth's death, her children recognized her strong ties to Purdue and gave the University her accumulated records, diplomas, photographs, and memorabilla.

Before, during, and after her appointment at Purdue, Lillian Gilbreth was building a reputation as the First Lady of Engineering. The first woman to receive the Hoover Medal and to be nominated to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, she wa s given more than 25 honorary degrees, medals, and honorary membership by national and international organizations, including an Honorary Doctor of Psychology degree from Purdue in 1948.

In 1938, those courses in industrial engineering and management which had been in Mechanical Engineering were transferred to the Department of General Engineering. The industrial engineering option in Mechanical Engineering continued until it was final ly phased out in 1959.