School of Military Aeronautics (Georgia School of Technology) Records
Collection
Identifier: UA416
The records of the United States Army School of Military Aeronautics, in session from 1917 to 1918 on the Georgia School of Technology (Georgia Tech) campus in Atlanta, Georgia. Records include the articles of agreement, weekly reports, course descriptions, and staff and payroll lists.
(one half-size document case, containing eight folders of documents)
None.
Permission to publish materials from this collection must be obtained from the Head of Archives and Special Collections.
0.2 Linear Feet
This collection contains eight folders relating to the records, correspondence, students, instructors, and staff of the United States Army School of Military Aeronautics at the Georgia School of Technology. The records document the participants and graduates, course work and descriptions, and personnel and payroll of the School. The records also include weekly reports and the July 1917 contract between A. C. Downey, Captain of the Signal Corps, and the Georgia School of Technology. Many of the memoranda and reports were prepared by Charles G. Eidson, President of the Academic Board.
In the spring of 1917, the United States War Department, through the Air Division of the Signal Corps, selected several technical universities to be Ground Schools for preparatory instruction in military aeronautics. The Georgia School of Technology became one of those schools. Work began at Georgia Tech on July 5, 1917. From July 1917 to January 1918, the Ground School taught preparatory instruction for aerial pilots; after that date, the curriculum changed to train supply officers for aviation squadrons. The School closed on May 11, 1918.
According to documents in this collection, the objectives of the School were 1) To teach candidates their fundamental military duties and develop soldierly qualities; 2) To teach the specially technical subjects covered by the curriculum prescribed by the Signal Corps; and 3) To eliminate those candidates for commission who are mentally or morally unfit.
The officers of Military Aeronautics were the Commandant, who was an officer of the Army, and the President of the Academic Board, who was appointed by the President of Georgia Tech. Instructors were also appointed by the President, and students were enlisted men of either the Air Section Signal Corps or Air Section, Signal Enlisted Reserve Corps. Ordinary Tech students were not eligible to participate. The courses lasted eight weeks, including a Junior wing of three weeks and a Senior wing of five weeks.
Among those who served as Commandants were Captain H. H. C. Richards, Captain H. H. Hawkins, Major Chauncey StC. McNeill, and Major Robert E. O'Brien. The Presidents of the Academic Board were Captain H. P. Wood and First Lieutenant Charles G. Eidson.
A print copy of this finding aid is available in the Georgia Tech Archives reading room.
The immediate source of acquisition for this collection is unknown. Accession number: 1987.0720.
(one half-size document case, containing eight folders of documents)
Christine de Catanzaro and Lindsay Resnick processed this collection in May 2012.
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, Library, Georgia Institute of Technology Repository