Preliminary Inventory of the Engineering, Science,
Management War Training Program Records,
1940 - 1945
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Descriptive Summary
Title
Engineering, Science, and Management War
Training Program Records,
1940 - 1945.
Creator
United States. Office of Education.
Extent
7.5 Linear Feet,
7500 Items
Repository
University Archives, Duke University
Abstract
The Engineering, Science, Management War
Training (ESMWT) program trained students to participate in defense activities, in order to meet
the shortage of engineers, chemists, physicists, and production supervisors during World War II.
The Duke University ESMWT was administered by A. S. Brower, and was overseen by the United States
Department of Education. The Engineering, Science, and Management War Training Program Records
includes general information, forms, reports, bulletins, financial records, correspondence, and
course material dating from 1940-1945.
Language
English.
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Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
Patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, Duke
University permits students to inspect their education records and limits the disclosure of
personally identifiable information from education records.
Unprocessed materials are closed pending processing.
In off-site storage; 24 hours advance notice is required for use.
Use Restrictions
Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other
copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated
by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Engineering, Science, and Management War Training Program
Records, University Archives, Duke University.
Provenance
The Engineering, Science, and Management War Training Program Records were acquired by
the University Archives circa 1964.
Processing Information
Processed by University Archives Staff
Completed 1990
Encoded by Valerie Gillispie, November 10, 2004
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
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Historical Note
The Engineering, Science, Management War Training (ESMWT) program was designed to provide
short courses of college level to individuals who would be immediately available upon completion to
participate in defense activities, in order to meet the shortage of engineers, chemists,
physicists, and production supervisors in fields essential to national defense. Organized under the
Labor-Federal Security Appropriation Act, 1944 (PL 135), and administered by the U.S. Office of
Education, the program was coordinated by regional advisors, working with individual institutions.
Duke University's institutional representative was A. S. Brower, Treasurer of the University at
that time.
Each institution assumed full responsibility for administering its ESMWT program in full
accordance with the provisions of its approved plan. This included seeking approval for and the
teaching of courses, recruiting and selecting trainees, expenditure of funds, and keeping records
and accounts.
All courses provided by the institutions involved were approved by the Office of
Education, based on regional and national need for this training. These courses were intended to
provide skills in specific activities of immediate application, rather than being part of a course
of study. "Chemistry of Explosives" and "Engineering Drawing" were just two of the courses offered.
ESMWT courses were provided without tuition or fees to qualified trainees, and often took place in
off-campus locations in the surrounding region.
ESMWT was operated under several names, and was at first called Engineering Defense
Training. At the beginning of the 1941-1942 program, the name was changed to the Engineering,
Science, and Management Defense Training. It was later changed to theEngineering, Science, and
Management War Training.
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Collection Overview
The Engineering, Science, and Management War Training Program Records include general
information, forms, reports, bulletins, financial records, and course material. Also included are
correspondence and memos circulated among Duke University, the Office of Education, instructors,
and trainees. The records date from 1940 to 1945, and are arranged in two series:
General Information and
Program Files.
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Subject Headings
These and related materials may be accessed under the following subject headings in the
Duke University Libraries online catalog.
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Related Material
College Organization for General Service Records,
1940-1949
Duke University Archives
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Preliminary Description of the Collection
General Information
The General Information series includes information relevant to the entire
program, rather than to specific courses or program years.
Box 1
Advertisements
Employment opportunities
Index of instructors' names
Mailing lists
(3 folders)
Sample forms
Student list,
1942-1945
Suggested courses
Program Files
The Program Files series is arranged chronologically by program year. Each year's
files contain bulletins sent from the Office of Education, correspondence between that office and
Duke University, forms and reports, a miscellaneous folder, purchase orders which detail financial
accounts, and a folder on each of the classes offered during that time, including those cancelled
or denied authorization.
Box 1
1940-1941
Bulletins
Correspondence
Forms and reports
Courses
1941-1942
Bulletins
Correspondence
Forms and reports
Miscellaneous
Box 2
Purchase orders
(2 folders)
Courses
(13 folders)
Box 3
Courses
(4 folders)
1942-1943
Bulletins
Correspondence
Forms and reports
Miscellaneous
Purchase orders
Box 4
Courses
(16 folders)
1943-1944
Bulletins
(2 folders)
Correspondence
Forms and reports
Miscellaneous
Purchase orders
Courses
(1 folder)
Box 5
Courses
(6 folders)
1944-1945
Bulletins
Correspondence
Forms and reports
Miscellaneous
Purchase orders
Courses
(14 folders)
