This Czech engineer and zealous promoter of scientific labour management techniques was born 15th August 1876 into a farming family in Slepotice near Pardubice. From 1896 to 1901 he read civil engineering at the Czech Technical College in Prague. Between 1901 and 1904 he gained experience at several building and construction companies in Prague and Plzeň and from 1904 to 1920 he was in the service of the state administration in Prague where he drew up and implemented several road, bridge and hydraulic construction projects.
Even before the end of the First World War he had gathered a number of Czech technical and economic experts around him to discuss and draw up a plan for the post-war development of the embryonic Czechoslovak state, starting out initially from Prague's own problems (e.g. the Greater Prague transport problem). After Czechoslovakia came into being in 1918, the group established the Technical and Economic Union (TEU) with S. Špaček as its first Chairman. Because of this post and the tasks he had undertaken, he refused an offer made to him by the members of the National Assembly to take part in the Paris Peace Conference negotiations. The TEU also acted as a focus for the long-term endeavours of Czech technical experts to give the technical sciences an institutional framework in the Czech lands. Špaček came to be the prime initiator and author of the first proposals to establish the Masaryk Academy of Labour (MAL).
In June 1919, Špaček was attached to a political-economic fact-finding mission to the USA, where for the first time he had the opportunity to see American scientific labour management techniques as put forward by F. W. Taylor, F. B. Gilbreth and their successors. In 1920, he was appointed Ministerial Secretary in the Czechoslovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of its Technical and Economic Department. In August of that year he was appointed to the Czechoslovak legation in Washington as technical attaché and head of technical-economic services abroad, with the title of Legation Councillor, and he worked in this position until 1924, in addition to being authorized to work for the Ministry of National Defence in 1923. Špaček's work in the USA give him a further opportunity to learn more about the said scientific methods which he was to promote enthusiastically in Czechoslovakia. He also helped to find positions at this time for a number of Czech engineers in America, e.g. 12 mechanical engineers at the Ford works in Detroit. Together with Dr. Štěpánek and Ing. L. W. Wallace, Secretary of the American Engineering Council, he initiated the first international congress on scientific labour management (Prague International Management Congress, PIMCO) in Prague in 1924.
In 1924, S. Špaček moved over to the Czechoslovak Ministry of Public Works where he stayed until his retirement. Here he was appointed Presidium departmental head for technical and economic issues at home and abroad, the scientific management of labour, social and technical economics, propaganda, technical and economic reporting, the library, specialist literature and the press - and here he was appointed Ministerial Councillor in 1934. In 1927, he was appointed as an external senior lecturer to read "on the principles of the economy of technical work" at the Czech University of Technology in Prague, and that same year he was awarded a doctorate in technical sciences.
Stanislav Špaček was one of the first to promote the scientific management of labour and to popularize Taylor's and Gilbreth's principles within industry, construction and the economy as a whole here. He is the author of more than 400 articles in various publications such as Technický Obzor (Technical Horizons), Obzor Národohospodářský (National Economy Horizons), Nová Práce (New Work), Sborník MAP (MAL Anthology) and a number of independent writings dealing with specialist construction problems, world economics, the organization of labour, management of factories, and industrial and technical economics. His work also contains observations from his trips to the USA, school reform issues or so-called "invalid" questions. One of his works is on Herbert Hoover, the American "engineer of humanity" (1924). In 1931, he was responsible for the publication of a multivolume "Encyclopedia of Efficiency" for which he himself edited the second volume entitled "Production". He lectured at a number of specialist establishments and at numerous congresses in Czechoslovakia and abroad. He was a member and active participant in several scientific and professional bodies both here and abroad: (MAL member from 1920, member of the Scientific Council from 1926, during the war-years 1939-1945 he represented the MAL President, Prof. V. Brdlík, as his active deputy, without compromising in any way in dealings with the representatives of the German occupiers). In 1926, he was elected honorary member of the MAL Union of Friends (the former TEU) and he was a corresponding member of the CASA National Economy Institute, a member of the Czechoslovak Agricultural Academy, a member of the Polish Scientific Organization Institute in Warsaw, an honorary member of the Taylor Society in New York, the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences in Philadelphia and others.
He died 7.11.1954 in Poděbrady.
Written by Emilie Tesinska
American-Czech relations
A considerable part of this record-group is related directly to Czechoslovak-American scientific contacts, so to mention a few items just by way of example:
Orders and documents on membership in American scientific and technical institutes - Personnel Research Federation, New York (1923), Public Ownership League of America, Chicago (1923), Society of Industrial Engineers, Chicago (1923), Society of Industrial Engineers, Detroit (1924), Taylor Society, New York (1927), American Academy of Political and Social Science, Philadelphia (1933), Society for the Advancement of Management, New York (1936, 1947). Sign.Ic.
Award of a gold medal to Špaček by the Association of American Mechanical Engineers in New York, 1930. Sign.Ic.
Very broad correspondence with individual Americans, e.g.: Paul M. Atkins (17+ 8), 1924 - 1929, Wallace Clark (25+9), 1927 - 1948, Morris Llewellyn Cooke (50+40), 1915 - 1947, Alfred Douglas Flinn (55+39), 1922 - 1936, Frank Bunker Gilbreth (6+17), 1923 - 1924, Lilian Moller Gilbreth (42+25), 1923 - 1947, Maurice Holland (24+19), 1923 - 1935, Harry Arthur Hopf (18+11), 1924 - 1948, William Vestervelt Nichols (47+14), 1923 - 1936, Fred A. Noetzli (22+10), 1926 - 1931, Harlow S. Person (27+16), 1923 - 1936, Calvin W. Rice (63+19), 1922 - 1934, Wiliam N. Taylor (4), 1925 - 1926, Lawrence W. Wallace (45+27), 1922 - 1948, some undated. All sign.II, b.1, 2, 4-6.
Correspondence with American institutes and authorities - e.g. American Commercial Attaché, Prague (8+3), 1925 - 1935, American Consular Service, Prague (5+1), 1928 - 1933, American Engineering Council, Washington (5+1), 1922 - 1931, American Engineering Standards Committee, New York (3+2), 1924 - 1928, American Gas Association, New York (3+3), 1928 - 1930, American Society of Civil Engineers, New York (3+2), 1928 - 1931, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York (37+5), 1922 - 1949, American Telephone and Telegraph Company, New York (3+2), 1928 - 1931, Better Homes in America, Washington (7+5), 1926 - 1929, Bureau of Home Economics, Washington (6+3), 1926 - 1929, Bureau of Public Personnel Administration, Washington (3+2) 1923 - 1926, Bureau of Public Roads, Washington (9+6), 1926 - 1935, Bureau of Standards, Washington (8+8), 1923 - 1932, Dennison Manufacturing Co., Framingham, Massachusetts (5+2), 1928, Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Delaware (5+2), 1923-26, General Motors Export Company, New York, (4+2), 1927 - 1928, Harper & Brothers, New York (7+6), 1928 - 1933, . Federation of Czechoslovak Engineers in America, Chicago (21+10), 1922 - 1934, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., New York (6+5), 1927 - 1931, National Research Council, Washington (7+3), 1922 - 1934, Pratt & Whitney Company, New York (3+6), 1923 - 1924, Society of Industrial Engineers, Chicago (13+5), 1923 - 1931, Taylor Society, New York (13+3), 1925 - 1935, United Engineers & Constructors, Philadelphia, (4+2), 1927 - 1928. All sign. II, b.7, 8.
Correspondence with Czechoslovak engineers and technicians in America - 124 names from 1922 - 1932. Sign. IIb, b. 8-9.
A number of articles, studies and lectures promoting the American rationalization of lifestyle and the method of managing the economy, production and the household (e.g. articles and lectures on American principles for managing household and housing matters, technical economics, the economization of American agriculture, the organization of aviation in the USA, the organization of work and management of American industry, articles about H. Hoover and others), 1921 - 1947 (43 items, mostly in Czech). Sign. IIIa-IIIb, b. 10 - 12.
Reviews on the work of American authors (C. F. Brown - E. B. Dennis - J. Henry - C. D. Pendray: City Noise. Noise Abatement Commision; R. Cleveland: American Planning; J. Edna: Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. Partners for Life; F. W. Taylor: Management of workshops; Stuart Chase: Technocracy), obituary article on Dr. Harry A. Hopf, 1931 - 1949. Sign. IIIc, b. 11 - 12.
Technocracy in USA - cuttings from the US press, 1932 - 1933. Sign. IIIg, b. 13.
Instructions for the activities of a technical-economic attaché in the USA, summary reports by Špaček on activities in the position of technical attaché, 1920 - 1927. Sign. IVa, b. 14.
Correspondence with American technical institutes and industrial establishments on the placement of Czechoslovak engineers on work-experience - recommendations, reports, 1920 - 1931. Sign. IVa, b. 15.
Visits of American scientists and technicians to Czechoslovakia - reports, programmes, correspondence, 1921 - 1936. Sign. IVa, b. 15.
Study stays in the USA - reports on the results of stays, correspondence, 1926 - 1928. Sign. IVa, b. 15.
Military-technical reports for the Ministry of National Defence - directives, reports by Špaček, requests for technical information addressed to American authorities and establishments, publications and technical samples, correspondence, 1921 - 1928. Sign. IVa, b. 15.
Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1926 - report by S. Špaček on participation at the exhibition, on the construction and installation of the Czechoslovak pavilion, correspondence with the Czechoslovak Embassy in Washington, preparation and opening of the Czechoslovak pavilion at the exhibition, exhibition plans, diagram, newspaper cuttings, 1923 - 1926. Sign. IVa, b. 15.
American Institute in Prague - statutes, proposal to establish the institute and its programme, invitation to the inaugural committee meeting, 1930 - 1931. Sign. IVd, b. 16.
Union of Engineers and Architects in Czechoslovakia - greeting to H. Hoover, greeting to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (A.S.M.E.) in New York, resolutions on current economic questions, 1930 - 1934, undated. Sign. IVd, b. 16.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York - statutes, information on activities, programme for the celebrations of the 50 th anniversary of its foundation, representation at the celebrations. Sign. IVd, b. 16.
Comité international de l'organisation - report by.Špaček on scientific management in the USA, 1926 - 1928. Sign. IVd, b. 17.
National Management Council, New York - committee meeting minutes 12. 11. 1946. Sign. IVd, b. 17.
Taylor Society, New York - speech by Špaček at the annual meeting 8. 12. 1927, questionnaire and proclamation to the society, 1927-1933. Sign. IVd, b. 17.
1 st Prague International Management congress (PIMCO) in Prague - correspondence on preparations, programmes, reports and assessment by American participants. Sign. IVf, b. 17.
Correspondence with MAL on bringing out a translation of the American publication: Losses in Industrial Production, 1921 - 1922. Sign. IVh, b. 18.
Negatives of films from Špaček's trip to America - machines and various, undated (83 negatives). Sign. V, b. 21.
Photos of individuals and groups - e.g. Herbert Hoover, H. Emerson, Lillian and Frank Gilbreth, Harlow S. Person, F. W. Taylor, L. M. Taylor, L. W. Wallace, undated (18 items). Sign. Va, b. 19.
Photos from the USA - e.g. Chicago (station and cleaning establishment buildings, 35 items), dams and hydraulic structures, house constructions (Bellevue F.+G. Building, New York - 12 items, Dowie Building - 7 items, Harriman Building, New York - 7 items, Savoy Plaza Building, New York - 11 items), road constructions (incl. California and Nevada, 176 items), tunnel constructions (2 items), aviation (airborne mail, 10 items), photos by Ed.Kopáč from his journey around the USA (gift to Špaček, 72 items), undated. Sign. Va, b. 19-20.
Photos from the World Exhibition in Philadelphia (59 items), 1926. Sign. Va, b. 20.
Photos of scholarly institutes and research institutes in the USA (4 items), undated. Sign. Va, b. 20.
Photos of American office facilities (ventilation, lighting, tubular post, internal equipment, 19 items). Sign. Va, b. 20.
Photos of the equipment at industrial establishments in the USA (Atwater Kent factory in Philadelphia, Ford works in Detroit, Curtis Publishing Co. printing-press, Kodak in Rochester, NewYork, National Cash Register Co. in Dayton, 115 items), undated. Sign. Va, b. 20.
Photos of irrigation and reclamation in the USA (19 items). Sign. Va, b. 20.
Photos of agriculture and fruit growing in the USA (9 items). Sign. Va, b. 20.
Copies and originals of foreign correspondence with individuals from the USA - e.g. A. D. Flinn, C. Coolidge, C. W. Rice, Ch. Frederick, F. B. Gilbreth, F. A. Noetzli, L. W. Wallace, L. K. Davis, L. M.Gilbreth, 1922-34. Sign. VII, b. 22.
Copies and originals of foreign correspondence with companies and institutes from the USA - e.g.: American concrete Institute, Detroit, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, Department of Commerce (Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce), Washington, D.C., Edison Lamp Works, H. F. Guggenheim Co, New York, Institute for Government Research of the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., Union of Czechoslovak Engineers in America, Chicago, Massachusetts Bay Celebration Committee, Boston, H. W. Roos Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, correspondence of B.. Štěpánek with American engineers and technicians on the establishment of a World Engineering Federation, 1922 - 1947. Sign. VIIa, b. 22.
Studies, articles and lectures by American authors - e.g. A. T. Warren, C. Wallace, E. B. Cooke, M. L. Cooke, H. Emerson, A. D. Flinn, F. B. Gilbreth, M. Holland, H. Hoover, G. W. A. Luckey, F. A Noetzli, H. S. Person, F. Vanderlip, L. W. Wallace, Life and work at Ford's (texts of contributions by American authors to an anthology), 1920 - 1949. Sign. VIIb, b. 22-23.