Fourth in a series: The National Bureau of Standards comes of age under Samuel Stratton

This article highlights the increased expansion and complexity of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) from 1904-1922. Samuel Stratton led a carefully chosen group of excellent scientists to produce the principal source of science-based measurement standards in the U.S. The list of services to the public, academia and to Federal agencies broadened. They instituted the Standard Reference Materials Service for industry, became part of the Department of Commerce, supported the physical development, production, and testing of materials needed during World War I, studied problems found in the new field of high altitude aeronautics, radio, and the dental industry, and worked in many more areas. After the war, Stratton successfully proposed that industry send their own scientists to work at NBS as guest researchers. These researchers helped to replace the many NBS staff members lost to higher industrial pay scales, thus maintaining the Bureau´s progress on industry related projects. He was a man with enormous abilities that were the driving force that created that institution.