Were you familiar with the Top Secret Rosies? These six women were pioneers in programming the world’s second digital computer, the ENIAC. Betty Snyder Holberton, Jean Jennings Bartik, Kathleen McNulty Mauchly, Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer, Ruth Lichterman Teitelbaum, and Frances Bilas Spence challenged gender stereotypes in the 1940s, playing crucial roles in the development of computer science. Although their contributions remained largely invisible for decades, their legacy has been recognized in documentaries and books highlighting their impact on the history of technology.
But who exactly were the Top Secret Rosies?
Before delving into the topic, let’s provide some context. During World War II, the surprise attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, led American men to leave their jobs to join the military and fulfill their military service.
This resulted in a significant labor shortage in industries, especially in factories producing parts for weaponry, ammunition, or other supplies needed for the war effort.
It was during this period of history that one of the icons of the feminist movement emerged: the “Rosie the Riveter” poster, which aimed to recruit women to join the workforce in factories. Thus, they began to be called “Rosies”.
On the other hand, the “Top Secret Rosies” had a different job: they were tasked with functioning as human computers to perform mathematical calculations for missile trajectories and coordinate bombardments carried out by the U.S. military and its allies during World War II.
Among this large group of female mathematicians, six stood out for their work in programming, optimizing, and maintaining the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), considered the first general-purpose computer.
Below, we’ll delve a bit deeper into each of them.
Betty Snyder Holberton: The Leader
Betty Snyder Holberton was one of the lead engineers on the ENIAC programming team. She was considered the team leader and made significant contributions to developing software for the computer.
Among her greatest contributions was the invention of breakpoints in computer debugging, which are temporary markers placed in the executable program to instruct the debugger to stop the program at a certain point. She also collaborated with John Mauchly to create the C-10 instruction set, which would become the prototype for the programming languages we use today.
Jean Jennings Bartik: The Programming Pioneer
Jean Jennings Bartik was one of the first computer programmers and played a crucial role in the initial programming of the ENIAC. Despite having no prior programming experience, Jean held a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and demonstrated exceptional talent that greatly contributed to the project’s success.
She later devoted herself to advocating for women in programming.
Kathleen McNulty Mauchly: The Math Prodigy
Kathleen McNulty Mauchly was a brilliant mathematician who defied the expectations of her time by becoming one of the lead programmers of the ENIAC. Both she and Frances Bilas learned on the job how to calculate ballistic trajectories during wartime operations, along with the other women who acted as human computers.
Subroutines, nested loops, and indirect addressing were utilized to program the ENIAC, with both data locations and jump destinations employing these techniques. McNulty, credited with inventing the subroutine during her work on ENIAC programming, proposed the idea to address a problem where the logical circuits lacked the capacity to compute certain trajectories due to insufficient capacity.
Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer: The Expert Analyst
Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer was an expert analyst who played a crucial role in programming and problem-solving for the ENIAC. Her ability to analyze data and attention to detail were crucial for the efficient operation of the computer, specializing in the development of algorithms for its use.
Ruth Lichterman Teitelbaum: The Computing Visionary
Ruth Lichterman Teitelbaum was a computing visionary who played a significant role in developing ENIAC software. Her creativity and innovative vision motivated her to move to Aberdeen, Maryland, where she taught new generations how to program the ENIAC.
Frances Bilas Spence: The Communications Leader
Frances Bilas Spence was a communications leader who played a fundamental role in coordinating the ENIAC programming team.
Let’s remember that the Top Secret Rosies had to work manually and coordinately, using almost 3,000 switches, and digital trays to direct the data and electrical pulses of the program through the machine. This task could only be carried out with exceptional skill in effective communication and the ability to work as a team.
The Legacy of the Top Secret Rosies
Initially, the contributions of the Top Secret Rosies to the world of computing and technology were ignored and even exclusively credited to their male counterparts. It would take years from the creation of the ENIAC for the women who were part of its development to be recognized.
Despite facing numerous challenges and obstacles, the Top Secret Rosies left an immortal legacy in the history of technology. Their courage, determination, and talent paved the way for future generations of women in computing. The Top Secret Rosies serve as an inspiring reminder that talent and innovation are genderless and of the importance of challenging stereotypes to achieve success in any field.
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