During the early years of Ford Motor Company, James Couzens, vice-president of the company, took charge of personnel in addition to sales, advertising and customer relations. John R. Lee took over personnel responsibilities in 1913 and established the Sociological Department in 1914. Lee hired investigators to interview workers and document their living conditions to determine whether they met the strict guidelines for receiving the five-dollar day wage. Samuel Simpson Marquis, an Episcopalian minister, joined the Sociological Department in 1915 and soon replaced Lee as head of the department. Henry Ford's support for the Sociological Department waned through the years, which led Marquis to resign on January 21, 1921. The department was inactive after Marquis left, but was revitalized during the 1930s to help employees through the Great Depression. The Sociological Department was terminated in 1948 due to the rising cost of providing assistance and pressure from the United Automobile Workers union, which despised the department's investigative work.
From the description of Sociological Department (Ford Motor Company) records subgroup, 1915-1946 (bulk 1930-1943). (The Henry Ford). WorldCat record id: 53897257
