Henry Noll
Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
The productivity of this Bethlehem Steel worker, referred to as "Schmidt," was key to Frederick W. Taylor's landmark book, "Principles of Scientific Management." Noll was credited with loading 45 tons of pig iron a day in 1899, to increase his day's pay to $1.85.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Henry Noll was a Bethlehem Steel laborer whose extraordinary output—said to be 45 tons of pig iron loaded in a single day in 1899—became the human centerpiece of Frederick W. Taylor's influential book, Principles of Scientific Management. Disguised as "Schmidt" in Taylor's writings, Noll's willingness to work for a raised daily wage of $1.85 helped Taylor argue that careful measurement could multiply productivity. The story shaped how factories, offices, and armies would organize work for a century.
Why it matters
Behind the famous "Schmidt" of scientific management stood a real Bethlehem worker, a reminder of the human cost and controversy of the efficiency movement that reshaped American industry.
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Related people
- · Henry Noll
- · Frederick W. Taylor
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Bethlehem Steel Plant
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