United States Army Air Forces Statistical School (Harvard University) records

Statistical control training was authorized early in World War II by Assistant Secretary of War for Air Robert A. Lovett, in consultation with General H.H. Arnold, Commanding General of the Army Air Forces. Charles B. Thornton was Chief of Statistical Control. Harvard Business School Dean Donald K. David set up the Army Air Forces Statistical School at HBS in May 1942 for specially selected officer candidates, who studied at HBS after completing eight weeks of general administrative training at Officers' Candidate School in Miami Beach, Florida. The original course of five weeks was extended to eight weeks in 1943. The purpose of the statistical training was to prepare statistical officers to gather information about personnel, aircraft, and equipment and to present facts and analyze them in ways that would suggest improvements for future missions and other operations. Instruction was provided primarily by members of the HBS faculty after indoctrination at Army Air Forces installations. The program came to be regarded as a good general training in administration in addition to being a grounding in statistical methods. The case method was employed for the teaching of reporting and analytical techniques, and field exercises were included in the curriculum. The course of study was developed in cooperation with the Statistical Control Division, Office of Management Control, Army Air Forces. Graduates of the program were assigned to all levels of command in the AAF.

The AAFSS operated for over two years, ceasing operations in October 1945. It produced 2,400 graduates, organized into groups, or "courses." There were forty "courses." The school's first civilian director was Edmund P. Learned, who was succeeded by Dan T. Smith. The AAF officer in charge of the school was Lt. Col. John Heflin. The model of statistical control taught at the AAFSS at HBS was adopted after the war by numerous companies, including Ford Motors.