Mary Jean Logan Sweet participated in the Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadette Program at Iowa State College (University) in 1943. Sponsored by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, this nationwide program was designed to ease wartime labor shortages by training women to work as engineers. This collection includes oral histories with Sweet and another participant in the program, Betty Ellen Claybourn Goettsch.
This silent film (part 1) gives an overview of the engineering training, classes, and social life that ninety female students experienced at Iowa State College in preparation for employment during World War II at the Curtiss-Wright plant in St. Louis. Film was produced by Visual Instruction Service, Iowa State College (University). Original 16mm film was transferred to videodisc and later uploaded to YouTube.
This silent film (part 2) gives an overview of the engineering training, classes, and social life that ninety female students experienced at Iowa State College in preparation for employment during World War II at the Curtiss-Wright plant in St. Louis. Film was produced by Visual Instruction Service, Iowa State College (University). Original 16mm film was transferred to videodisc and later uploaded to YouTube.
Professor Glenn Murphy is illustrating some aspects of airplane flight analysis to a class of Curtiss-Wright cadettes., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
Four cadettes surround a workbench displaying the Guerin (rubber) embossing die, cupping die, dimpling die, drill jigs, templates, soldering jigs, forming blocks and standard hand tools., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
Two cadettes are welding metal parts together. They are wearing slacks and eye goggles and their hair is wrapped in a turban., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
Four cadettes are holding their metal model planes. A group of the unfinished planes at the end of the third period are displayed on the workbench., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
Marie Stevens ( El Paso, Tex) is on the left holding the riveter while Nema Lou Gause (Caney, Kansas) on the right, is holding the bucking bar., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
Three cadettes are listening to instructions from their Professor Benjamin Willis in the Electrical Engineering Power Laboratory. One cadette is focused on a piece of equipment while another is taking notes. The third cadette looks on from the right. Two rows of electric motors are in the foreground., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
One cadette is watching another cadette operate a control system for a wind tunnel test., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
Professor Les Kelso is pointing out the propulsion system of a small general aviation airplane. These airplanes, sans wings, were in the Aeronautics Laboratory for purposes of visualization and illustration. The plane may be a Luscomb or a Taylorcraft., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
These cadettes with their hair wrapped in a turban and wearing eye protection, are working on the tail of a wrecked plane in the Welding Laboratory of the Mechanical Engineering Building. One of the projects for the five-week laboratory course was making a rudder pedal by welding the necessary parts., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
Professor Les Kelso is instructing two cadettes about an airplane engine., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
A cadettes is touching the top of a small cone-shaped part on the side of a small airplane in the Aeronautics Laboratory. This plane, sans wings, was used for instructional purposes. Another cadette is by her side also looking at the part., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
Betty Belle Gardner (Parsons, Kansas) is getting an advance taste of work in the wind tunnel in the Aeronautical Laboratory. She is about to replace a wing section in the mouth of the tunnel with a model transport plane., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
On the blackboard is the organization for one of the laboratory periods. The cut and formed parts are on the table for inspection before assembling begins. Two cadettes are standing to the left of the blackboard and two are seated on a table to the right of the blackboard. Each cadette is holding a part. There are tools hanging in cases on both sides of the blackboard., During World War II, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation sponsored an engineering program for women students at several American universities, including Iowa State University. The Curtiss-Wright Engineering Cadettes were trained in drafting, stress analysis, materials lab, aerodynamics, and production liaison. Once the program was completed, the cadettes received an engineering certificate. The cadettes were not fully trained engineers, but were given adequate training so that they could assist engineers with their jobs. The company hoped their engineers would be able to accomplish more in less time with the aid of trained assistants. The courses began on February 15, 1943 with 100 cadets enrolled. When the course was completed 90 women out of the original 100 graduated, with 84 of the graduates being employed at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in St. Louis.
