Description
The collection consists of general
office files from the School of Engineering Dean's Office. The bulk of the papers cover the
years 1925-1955. Included are subject files regarding school and departmental affairs as
well as interests of the individual deans; files regarding teaching appointments of
non-tenured assistants, lecturers, instructors, assistant professors and visiting faculty;
annual budget files (1925-1960) and annual reports to the President (1945-1964) regarding
school and departmental activites, goals, faculty achievement and funding. The collection
also includes some photographs and blueprints.
Background
Civil and mechanical engineering courses were among the first taught at Stanford
University, with courses in electrical and mining engineering added in 1893. In 1925, the
formerly independent engineering departments were organized into the School of Engineering
with Theodore Jesse Hoover as Dean. Hoover was succeeded in 1936 by Samuel B. Morris, former
director of the Pasadena municipal water system and a respected civil engineer. The School
experienced its greatest development during the deanship of Frederick E. Terman, 1945-1960,
formerly the executive head of the Electrical Engineering Department. Important connections
were made between the school and local industry, and the School began to draw significant
government contracts and grants to support graduate and faculty research. Although Terman
was appointed University Provost in 1955, he remained dean until Joseph M. Pettit, Professor
of Electrical Engineering, succeeded him. Pettit resigned in 1971 to become president of
Georgia Institute of Technology and was succeeded by William Kays, chairman of the
Mechanical Engineering department. The School now includes nine departments, with numerous
laboratories and research centers.
Extent
65.75 Linear Feet
]
Restrictions
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must
be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford
University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special
Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright
owner, heir(s) or assigns. See:
http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.
Availability
Accession ARCH-2018-070 Box 1 (Civil Engineering) and Box 2 (Chemical Engineering) are
restricted for 75 years from date of creation.