STATISTICIANS IN HISTORY
it. What one can communicate engaged in consumer research
is an operational definition of a and in advertising research read
random operation (for example, it? Some day, they will.
proper use of random numbers). Although the writing of papers
Likewise, one can only define and books was difficult for him,
yellow, green, tired, unemployed, and his efforts often went wide
[or] one inch in terms of an of the mark, one of his great
operation. The particular opera- powers lay in his perseverance
tion will vary with the needs of in communication by letter. He
the subject matter. used his power to work through
There is accordingly no such committees. He knew the impor-
thing as factual information, tance of getting a strong man at
distinguished from judgments. the head of a committee, and he
Physical measurements are no was adept at pushing him in the
exception. There are no facts, right direction, without him-
except as man makes them. Man self being visible. He made his
gets marks on a piece of paper points not so much by giving
in response to a stimulus. Such his own point of view, but by
marks on paper and tabulations asking questions. Establishment
made from them are useful only of Committee E–11 on statisti-
Shewhart, 1930
if the method of investigation is cal methods in the American
suited to the purpose. Society for Testing Materials is
an example of this type of accom-
Quality Writing
plishment. The Shewhart statisti-
Although his explanations could cal series published by Wiley is
be simple and clear in a face- another example. He sought out
to-face discussion, his greatest the great thinkers and invited
papers remain as difficult for them to write. That an author
the reader as they were for him might disagree with Shewhart’s
to write. As he told me once, point of view made no difference
when he writes, he must make it to Shewhart, so long as a book
foolproof. I replied in a particu- would stimulate people to think.
lar instance that he had made it
so foolproof that no one would
The Statistician
understand it. As a statistician, he was, like so
His book of 1931 will remain many of the rest of us, self-taught
a monument, but it was his on a good background of physics
book Statistical Method from the and mathematics. He respected
Viewpoint of Quality Control, advanced knowledge of statisti-
William Edwards Deming studied
based on his four lectures given cal theory and studied daily, but
Shewhart’s theories on quality control.
in Washington in 1938, that he was not always happy with the
exposed Shewhart to the statis- way people recommended statis-
tical world. People then began tical techniques for use.
to understand something about As a man, he was gentle, gen-
invitation from Karl Pearson to
his contributions. teel, never ruffled, never off his
give lectures at University College
To appreciate a mite of his dignity. He knew disappoint-
in London in 1932. A visit to
greatness, one must read not ment and frustration through the
Japan later in life, where he saw
only the two books just men- failure of many writers in math-
spectacular results of statistical
tioned, but his article, “Nature ematical statistics to understand
methods applied in the broad
and Origin of Standards of his point of view. He also knew
sense of Shewhart, must have
Quality,” Bell System Technical success. He was president of the
been great satisfaction to him.
Journal, xxxvii, 1958. One can American Statistical Association
He went to India three times as a
only ask why schools of busi- in 1945 and twice president of
guest of P. C. Mahalanobis at the
ness don’t require this article the Institute of Mathematical
Indian Statistical Institute and
to be read by all professors and Statistics, in 1937 and 1944. One
received, in 1962, the honorary
students. Why don’t people of the highlights of his life was an
degree DSc. n
SEPTEMbER 2009 AMSTAT NEwS 21
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