-
Clarence Williard Avery
- Wayne State University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
Clarence Williard Avery 1882-1949 "Mr. Avery was Edsel Ford's schoolteacher, and Edsel liked him very much." —William C. Klann* Clarence Avery was a major contributor to the techniques of mass production; however, it seems he gained little credit from Henry Ford for his accomplishments. Avery was a socially responsible person and a close friend of Edsel Ford. It was a severe blow to Edsel when Avery decided to leave Ford Motor Company for opportunities elsewhere. Clarence Williard Avery was born in Dansville, Michigan, on February 15,1882. He was educated at Dansville High School, continued his education at Ferris Institute in Big Rapids, Michigan, and completed a two-year manual training course at the University of Michigan. After teaching for one year in a rural school, Avery became manual training supervisor in the Battle Creek, Michigan, public schools in 1903. While at Battle Creek, Avery married Lura Warner of nearby Doster. Warner was a 1904 graduate of the University of Michigan. They were to have two daughters, Eloise and Anabel. In 1904, Avery accepted the position of principal of the Michigan Manual Training School at Ishpeming. In 1907, Avery became director of manual training at Detroit University School. In Detroit, the family first lived at 671 Hurlbut; in 1911, they moved to 364 Montclair Avenue. Avery was one of young Edsel Ford's instructors in manual training at Detroit University School. Edsel was in his teens, Avery in his twenties . Edsel was greatly impressed with Avery's mechanical ingenuity. In 1912, in casual conversation, Avery mentioned to Edsel his desire to enter the automobile business, and it was arranged by Edsel. Avery was classified at Ford Motor Company as a "student worker" and was paid twenty-five cents an hour as Charles Sorensen's assistant at the Highland Park plant. Although the pay was very low to start, Avery recognized the opportunity and made the most of it. *From the oral reminiscences of William C. Klann, assistant to Clarence W. Avery. 15 Henry's Lieutenants Within a year, Avery, Sorensen, and others were involved in establishing the moving final assembly line for automobiles. Although Henry Ford is usually credited with its initiation, the idea quite definitely originated far below him. Several who were there at the time testify it was Avery who was the guiding light. He determined the optimal rate of line speed and the distribution of workers along the line. Avery became the company expert on time study and introduced time standards throughout the plant. By December 1913, the moving final assembly line allowed the Model T, which had required 12.5 man-hours of labor to assemble, to be assembled using 2.7 man-hours. Later it would take only 1.5 manhours . This was just the beginning for Avery. He next designed subassembly operations feeding the final assembly. Engines, transmissions, and magnetos all yielded to the system. Later, Henry Ford declared, "Every piece of work in the shop moves. It may move on hooks on overhead chains going to assembly in the exact order in which the parts are required, it may travel on a moving platform, or it may go by gravity, but the point is that there is no lifting or trucking of anything other than materials.,, Avery's star was rising, and the family moved to a new home at 50 Puritan Avenue in Highland Park. By 1918, the Averys were at 460 Boston Boulevard, in an area only recently vacated by Henry Ford himself. Six years later, still working for Ford, Avery purchased a house at 1560 Wellesley, in exclusive Palmer Woods very close to the home of his Ford associate Peter E. Martin. This was the family's Detroit address for the rest of Avery's life. Closed automobiles were rather rare until about 1915. The window glass in early cars was usually cut from by-products of the architectural plate-glass industry. As closed autos became more popular, the amount of by-product became insufficient to supply the auto industry. Prices had risen from twenty-two cents to ninety cents per square foot because of the greater demand. The auto industry had to look for other sources. In 1918, Henry Ford spotted a Model T backlight window exhibiting conspicuous optical distortion, and he decided he needed better as well as less expensive glass and considered manufacturing it himself. Avery was aware of the problem, had studied the glass manufacturing process, and had some ideas. The usual procedure consisted...