Lillian Evelyn (Moller) Gilbreth (1878 - 1972)

Born 24 May 1878 in Oakland, Alameda, California, United States

Wife of Frank Bunker Gilbreth — married 19 Oct 1904 in Alameda, California, United States

Descendants

Died 2 Jan 1972 at age 93 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Russell Butler [send private message]

Biography

Lillian (Moller) Gilbreth is Notable.

American psychologist, industrial engineer, consultant, and educator who was an early pioneer in applying psychology to time-and-motion studies. She was described in the 1940s as "a genius in the art of living." She was one of the first female engineers to earn a Ph.D., and is considered to be the first industrial/organizational psychologist.

Lillian was born in 1878. She was the child of William Moller, Sr. and Anne Delger) Moller. As an undergraduate, she attend the University of California at Berkeley and became the first woman to speak at a University of California commencement. The title of her speech was "Life: A Means or an End". She obtained her master's degree from Columbia University in New York City. She later completed her Ph.D. at Brown University ^[1].

She was a pioneer of industrial management, namely task-efficiency in the workplace. She applied psychology to time-and-motion studies to determine the most efficient way for workers to perform tasks, known for her emphasis on human relations in the workplace ^[2]. She convinced managers that worker-task-efficiency is the result of the quality of the work environment. Her ideas about the qualities that produce good supervisors, what should be taught in engineering school, and what kind of workers were best suited to particular kinds of work was equally innovative. ^[3] In a California Monthly article in 1944, she was described as "a genius in the art of living." ^[1]

She married Frank Gilbreth and they had 12 children in 17 years. They worked together until his sudden death on his way to speak at a conference in 1924. She immediately packed her bags, arranged for childcare, and traveled to give a speech in his space ^[2].

After she was widowed, she carried on raising their children and managing their company, mainly in Montclair, New Jersey, and managed to put all of her children through college. She consulted with GE on their kitchen appliances and was the first female professor at Purdue's School of Engineering. ^[1]

She continued to apply the principles of modern business methods to the home, and published two books about the topic, The Home-Maker and Her Job and Management in the Home, as well as many articles in popular periodicals about the topic ^[3]. Inventions Gilbreth is perhaps best known for are adding shelves to the refrigerator and adding a foot pedal to the kitchen trash can, as well as her designs for efficient kitchen layouts. ^[2][4]

She also had a special concern for the needs of those with physical handicaps and used the techniques of motion analysis to design special equipment and kitchen layouts to make housework easier for them ^[3][2]. She was also a consultant to the Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. She was active in volunteer organizations, notably the Girl Scouts^[3]. She served as a member of President Hoover’s Emergency Committee for Unemployment Relief in 1930, where she created a successful nationwide program called "Share the Work," that created many new jobs ^[4]. During the Second World War, she was an educational consultant to the Office of War Information during the Second World War. Here, oversaw the conversion of factories to military bases and war plants ^[4].

She did not retire until her 80s. ^[1] She passed away in 1972. ^[5]

In 1966, she was awarded the prestigious Hoover Medal, which is given to an engineer to recognize their "outstanding civic or humanitarian service". The award citation noted:

Her unselfish application of energy and creative efforts in modifying industrial and home environments for the handicapped has resulted in full employment of their capabilities and elevation of their self-esteem^[4]

In 1921 she became the first female member inducted into the Society for Industrial Engineers. The National Society of Professional Engineers, with support from the American Psychological Association, was successful in getting a 1984 U.S. postage stamp issued in her honor. Gilbreth is the only psychologist to appear on a stamp. In 1995 Gilbreth was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame at Seneca Falls, New York^[4].

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Merry Maisel and Laura Smart, "Mother of Modern Management", San Diego Supercomputer Center, 1997.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} National Women's History Museum
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} National Women's Hall of Fame
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} America's First Lady of Engineering", Engineer Girl blog, National Academy of Engineering.
5. ↑ U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 Number: 142-16-0302; Issue State: New Jersey; Issue Date: Before 195

• 1920 census - "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M45K-2Y6 : accessed 27 November 2018), Lillian Gilbreth in household of Frank Gilbreth, Montclair Ward 3, Essex, New Jersey, United States; citing ED 83, sheet 6A, line 36, family 113, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1030; FHL microfilm 1,821,030.

• 1930 census - "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4NC-RWV : accessed 27 November 2018), Lillian M Gilbreth, Montclair, Essex, New Jersey, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 533, sheet 14A, line 30, family 262, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1332; FHL microfilm 2,341,067.

• 1940 census - "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4RS-7XB : 11 January 2021), Lillian M Gilbrith, Montclair, Essex, New Jersey, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 7-253, sheet 6B, line 46, family 122, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2337.

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 June 2018), memorial page for Dr Lillian Evelyn Moller Gilbreth (24 May 1878–2 Jan 1972), Find A Grave: Memorial #30391704; Maintained by Find A Grave.

See Also:

• Wikipedia:Lillian Moller Gilbreth
• Wikidata: Item Q40197, en:Wikipedia