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Finding Aid for the Engineering, Science, and Management War Training (ESMWT). Announcement and brochures. 1942-1944.
University Archives Record Series 587  
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  • Access
  • Publication Rights
  • Preferred Citation
  • Historical Note
  • Scope and Content
  • UCLA Catalog Record ID

  • Title: Engineering, Science, and Management War Training (ESMWT). Announcement and brochures.
    Identifier/Call Number: University Archives Record Series 587
    Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections
    Language of Material: English
    Physical Description: 0.4 linear ft. (1 box)
    Date: 1942-1944
    Abstract: Record Series 587 contains brochures and course announcements describing specialized defense industry training offered by UCLA during World War II, including approximately 286 course announcements, 79 brochures, and 4 publications created by the Engineering, Science, and Management War Training (ESMWT) program.
    Creator: Engineering, Science, and Management War Training.

    Access

    COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

    Publication Rights

    Copyright of portions of this collection is held by The Regents of the University of California. The UCLA University Archives can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. All requests for permission to publish or quote must be submitted in writing to the UCLA University Archivist.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], Engineering, Science, and Management War Training (ESMWT). Announcement and brochures (University Archives Record Series 587). UCLA Library Special Collections, University Archives.

    Historical Note

    In January 1941, University of California President Robert Gordon Sproul established a University War Council (consisting of faculty members and administrators from most campuses) to survey the resources of the University of California and to reorganize them in anticipation of WWII. Already started at UCLA was a federally-financed program in tool engineering, supervised by Thomas A. Watson, Assistant Professor of Mechanic Arts. In August 1941, the UCLA effort was absorbed into a nationwide program to teach and upgrade production skills.
    Established under the aegis of the U.S. Office of Education and administered by University of California University Extension, the program at UCLA was first called "Engineering, Science and Management Defense Training" in 1941. Later in 1942 the name was changed slightly to "Engineering, Science and Management War Training" (ESMWT). Both UCLA and Berkeley Extension programs were administered by the Berkeley campus.
    On January 5, 1941, UCLA first offered Engineering, Science and Management Defense Training classes for Southern California defense industry workers. In 1942-43 the classes became available to college students. ESMWT instruction was offered at following centers: UCLA Campus, Burbank, Downey, El Segundo, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Long Beach, and Wilmington. Later, classes were conducted at defense companies: Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Douglas Aircraft Company, and North American Aviation. The instruction was designed to provide short college courses to meet the demand for chemists, physicists, engineers, tool engineers, and management personnel in the aircraft and other defense industries. In 1944, the University of California added courses for men and women who were high school graduates and for people who were employed or employable in war industries.
    Although a nationwide program, ESMWT was locally known as the University of California War Training Program. The program was tuition free; students did not receive university credit. In addition to the UCLA and Berkeley, the University of California held classes for the program at the San Francisco and San Diego campuses.
    The University's statewide ESMWT program was under the direction of Morrough P. O'Brien, chairman of the department of mechanical engineering at Berkeley. UCLA campus supervisors included William Whyburn, mathematics; Joseph Kaplan, physics; Thomas A. Watson, mechanic arts; William R. Crowell, chemistry; Professor George Robbins, management; and Albert W. Bellany, radio and engineering. During the course of the program, hundreds of UCLA professors and off-campus instructors participated.
    The University of California's ESMWT program offered over 200 courses, enrolling more than 6,500 men and women. Approximately 50 per cent of ESMWT's courses were in the field of engineering, 25 per cent in industrial management, 15 per cent in physics and chemistry, and 10 per cent in mathematics (UCLA On the Move, pg. 102).
    As male draftsmen and engineers entered military service, job vacancies were filled by women who had taken classes in the Engineering, Science and Management War Training program.
    The University of California was described by President Sproul as a "humming war plant - the largest in the nation (UCLA On the Move, pg. 102)." The red, white and blue design of the ESMWT announcements and brochures reflect the level of patriotism prevalent during this time.

    Scope and Content

    Record Series 587 contains brochures and course announcements describing specialized defense industry training offered by UCLA during World War II, including approximately 286 course announcements, 79 brochures, and 4 publications created by the Engineering, Science, and Management War Training (ESMWT) program.
    This is an inactive record series; no additional University records are expected to be added.

    UCLA Catalog Record ID

    UCLA Catalog Record ID: 3467109