George Winchester Barnwell (August 22, 1888 – May 26, 1958) was an American
electrical engineer
Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the ...
, Professor of Production Practice at the
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely dedicated to mechanica ...
, and recipient of the
Taylor Key
The Taylor Key Award is one of the highest awards of the Society for Advancement of Management. This management awards is awarded annually to one or more persons for "the outstanding contribution to the advancement of the art and science of manage ...
award in 1937, presented for conspicuous service.
Biography
Youth, education and early career
Barnwell was born in
Hawkinsville, Georgia
Hawkinsville is a city in and the county seat of Pulaski County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,589 at the 2010 census.
Hawkinsville is known as the "Harness Horse Capital" of Georgia. The Lawrence Bennett Harness Horse Racing faci ...
in 1888, to Allard Barnwell and Nina (Graham) Barnwell. He obtained his
BSc degree
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
in 1909. In 1914 he obtained another BSc degree in Electrical Engineering from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern t ...
,Stephen B. Barnwell. ''The story of an American family.'' 1969. p. 385 with the thesis, entitled ''An investigation of the electric light and power requirements of a technical school.''
After his graduation from Georgia Tech, Barwell had started his career in the industry. In Atlanta he worked for
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...
for the Jackson & Moreland, construction engineering company. In
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
Barnwell served in the U.S. Army at the
75th Field Artillery Brigade
The 75th Field Artillery Brigade (75th FAB) is an artillery brigade in the United States Army. It is currently based in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and supports the III Armored Corps.
The brigade is officially tasked to train and prepares for combat; on ...
, where he was commissioned a
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
in August 1917.
From 1919 to 1921 Barnwell was an engineer at the
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer that operated independently from 1901 until 1929, when it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America and subsequently operated as a subsidia ...
in Camden, New Jersey. In 1921 he was appointed an instructor in Electrical Engineering at
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College ( , ) is a private liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the earliest coeducational colleges in the United States. It was established as ...
, and continued his studies obtained his M.A. in
economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analy ...
from the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universit ...
in 1926.
Further career and honours
After his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania in 1926, Barwell was an associate professor at the
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania ( ; also known as Wharton Business School, the Wharton School, Penn Wharton, and Wharton) is the business school of the University of Pennsylvania, a private Ivy League research university in P ...
. In 1929 he moved to the
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. Founded in 1870, it is one of the oldest technological universities in the United States and was the first college in America solely dedicated to mechanica ...
in Hoboken, where he would spend the rest of his career until his retirement in June, 1948.
Barnwell started at the Stevens Institute of Technology as assistant Professor in Economics of Engineering, and was later in the 1930s on in the Professor of Production Practice. In 1941 he was also put in charge of the work of shop practice at the Stevens Institute of Technology.
In 1937 Barnwell was awarded the
Taylor Key
The Taylor Key Award is one of the highest awards of the Society for Advancement of Management. This management awards is awarded annually to one or more persons for "the outstanding contribution to the advancement of the art and science of manage ...
, one of the highest awards of the
Society for Advancement of Management
The Society for the Advancement of Management, commonly known as SAM, is the oldest among professional management societies. On November 11, 1910 colleagues of Frederick W. Taylor met at the New York Athletic Club to discuss and promote the princ ...
.
Personal
Barwell was married to Margaret K. (Cromwell) Barnwell (1895-1976). He died May 26, 1958, and was buried at the
Beverly National Cemetery
Beverly National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Edgewater Park Township, in Burlington County, New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States ...
* Barnwell, George W. ''An investigation of the electric light and power requirements of a technical school.'' Diss. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering, 1914.
* Barnwell, W. ''Engineering economics and practice. Solutions to the university of the state of New York past examinations for professional engineers.'' pt. 3, group A. (C) May 1, 1939
* Barnwell, George W. ''New encyclopedia of machine shop practice; a guide to the principles and practice of machine shop procedure.'' 1941.
;Articles, a selection
* Barnwell, George W. "Engineering Economics, Why? Where? What?," ''Proceedings,'' Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education (U.S.), Volume 43. 1935.