Parachutes, Parking Meters, Flight
Op-Ed: UD history professor John Heitman offers a perspective on Dayton's inventive past.
In September 1940--as Americans and Daytonians began to prepare for war and not coincidentally finally found relief from the Great Depression--leading figures in American science and technology gathered for dinner in New York City. Led by Karl Compton, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the group celebrated the achievements of 28 modern pioneers of American industry, who in the words of Compton created "new jobs and better standards of living."
Predictably, Henry Ford was present, as were Daytonians Orville Wright and Charles Franklin Kettering. While it should be no surprise that the co- inventor of powered flight and the pioneer of automotive electrical systems were honored, what is astonishing, however, was that six other attendees--a total of eight out of 28--called Dayton home! In addition to Wright and Kettering, other Daytonians receiving awards included Monarch Marking's Frederick Kohnle, the developer of machinery for affixing tags and labels to merchandise; Harry Williams, an NCR engineer who patented automobile bearing designs; cost-reduction expert Harvey Hull, a Frigidaire engineer holding many patents related to refrigeration; Harvey Dunn Geyer, an engineer with 176 patents on automobiles and refrigeration; Charles Short, the pioneer of the V-shaped fan and drive belt; and Kettering's "Barn Gang" collaborator, William A. Chryst.
These eight prominent Dayton inventors represented just the tip of an iceberg of local creative activity. A case-by-case examination of these Dayton inventors would probably reveal such commonalities as a childhood interest in things mechanical. They learned to think critically through a love for science. Their restless, compulsive nature drove them to perfect their creations. This magnificent obsession is termed by some a "disease" and by others an "art form."
But just as important as these internal factors are the external ones, for invention takes place within a distinctive social and intellectual environment. After all, it is from social experiences that inventors gain knowledge of both technical know-how and societal needs. What was so different about Dayton's economy, its people and its institutions that made Dayton unlike any other community in America at that time? It's an important question because invention is at the heart of a dynamic, entrepreneurial economy, and never in our history has there been more competition on the global scale.
For openers, by 1880 Dayton became known as a center of the agricultural implements trades. This sector was characterized by many different manufacturers and products, intense competition and a rather simple, democratic technology that lent itself to "tinkering." Secondly, during the last quarter of the 19th century, Dayton emerged as a leading metropolitan area in metal fabricating and machine tools, and its labor force included many German-born artisans skilled in precision machining, perhaps the most important skill associated with the second wave of the industrial revolution.
In addition, turn-of-the-century Dayton could be described as a boomtown, with very low unemployment levels. It stands to reason that mechanization in the workplace would be well received in a labor-scarce economic environment. Finally, the Dayton of 1900 was small and intimate. In an age before invention would be dominated by corporate R&D and government facilities, the neighborhood provided a primary focal point for interaction and collaboration among inventors. For example, inventors Vincent Apple, Luzern Custer and Reuben Swank all lived within walking distance of the Wright Brothers' bicycle shop, and evidence suggests that these figures knew and interacted with each other.
This turn-of-the-century community of inventors-- whose actions are perhaps emulated by today's invention incubators--gave way during the 1920s, 1930s and beyond to a more institutionalized landscape of invention best characterized by government facilities at McCook and Wright fields and NCR's industrial research laboratory. It would be in this organized context that a dazzling array of fundamental discoveries would emerge, such as the parachute, supercharger, tetraethyl lead, Freon, micro-encapsulation and the liquid crystal display. All were developed in Dayton, and all came out of laboratory settings that harnessed the collaborative efforts of technical specialists and pooled resources.
While Dayton's luster as a center for inventive activity has somewhat dimmed during the past two decades, one could argue that it's experiencing a resurgence of innovation. From the labs at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to the University of Dayton Research Institute, scientists and engineers are working to maintain the military's aging aircraft fleet, simulating aircraft crash impacts to determine whether "black box" data will survive and designing birdstrike-resistant windshields and canopy systems for airplanes, to name just a few initiatives.
How can Dayton capitalize upon its inventive past and nurture innovation? Despite the prevailing notion that invention is the result of solitary efforts, collaboration can and often does lead to the "flash of genius." We must recreate the tight-knit neighborhood of the Wright brothers' era that allowed formal and informal interaction. Thus, invention incubators--places where inventors pursuing different projects are located
under a single roof --should continue to be given a high priority in local planning discussions. Secondly, local institutions that promote discovery--including university science and engineering departments-- must be given the resources that encourage its employees to push the boundaries of knowledge.
After all, this is a place where two bicycle repairmen designed a flying machine. History is on our side.
December 12, 2002
Back to News