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A Half Dozen Questions about Lillian Gilbreth

#1. This book, which described life in the Gilbreth family after the death of Frank Gilbreth, Sr., was made into a motion picture in 1952.

The first book about the Gilbreth family, Cheaper by the Dozen, was made into a movie in 1950. Its sequel, Belles on their Toes, was adapted for the silver screen two years later.

#2. Lillian’s children once described her kitchen as this.

Gilbreth channeled her distate for housework into scientific studies to simplify work for homemakers.

#3. Gilbreth was lifelong friends with this U.S. President and his wife.

Gilbreth met Herbert Hoover, a fellow engineer, during her time in California. This connection lead to her appointment to various government and charitable positions.

#4. Why was Gilbreth denied a PhD at the University of California?

Gilbreth’s dissertation was later published as a book, but she was denier her degree to to failing to meet a residency requirement. She later earner her PhD at Brown University.

#5. Gilbreth is the inventor of which common kitchen appliance?

In addition to inventing the foot-pedal garbage can, she also filed patents to improve the electric can opener and conducted countless studies to improve the ergonomics of the modern kitchen for General Electric.

#6. Lillian and her husband, Frank, were the first to use this technique in time-motion studies.

The Gilbreths’ work formed the basis of what we now call ergonomics.

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