FORWARD

This brief History of the School of Industrial Engineering at PurdueUniversity grew out of a request by Wilbur L. Meier to Ferdinand F.Leimkuhler and to me on November 21, 1980 to prepare a history of theSchool of Industrial Engineering. As we began to explore the assignment, it seemed increasingly desirable to delve further intothe past and to include information about the people, places andthings that had an influence on the development of industrial engineering at Purdue.

As time elapsed, a second decision was made to extend the coverage beyond the initial request and to make June 30, 1985, the concluding date.Then, because of Leimkuhler's increased responsibilities as acting headin 1981-82 and eventually head in 1982, the present writer offered toassume sole responsibility for writing the history and t take fullcharge of the subject matter including any blame for any errors ofomission. Much reliance was placed on information derived from manysources*; and great appreciation is expressed to Ferdinand F. Leimkuhler for information about the 1980's, to JamesW. Barany for information about students, to the Registrar's andBudget Offices, to keith Dowden and the Library Staff, to O.D. Lascoeand James H. Greene for reviewing the first manuscript; to BarbaraFrancis, Dallas Pasco, and Helen McMahon in the Engineering Production Office; to Natalie Leimkuhler for recent photographs; andto Joyce Hinds for her untiring assistance in typing the manuscript.

One of the ground-rules adopted at the outset was to include only thosemembers of the faculty who had served on the staff for at least threeyears or who had joined the staff in 1983 or 1984. Thus, the namesof professors, graduate instructors, and graduate teaching assistantshave not been included.

The completion of this history has brought back many pleasent memories, and I am pleased to share them with you.