History of Land Surveying degrees

Coy Glasscock · Post by **Coy Glasscock** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 12:58 pm

Does anyone know the earliest known college or university certification or degree in land surveying?

I am looking for actual land surveying specific classes. I know that most early surveyors were people who excelled in math and learned on the job.

I have managed to get â€œoriginalâ€ university required textbooks from 1894.

Example of what I am looking for is:

If the year is 1834 and I wanted to get a degree specific to Land Surveying, what school would I attend, if any?

goodgps · Post by **goodgps** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:04 pm

I have an old text book from the 1800's entitled "Davies new Surveying"

It was presented at West point, But I'm sure there are earlier colleges.

Coy Glasscock · Post by **Coy Glasscock** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:27 am

So far, the earliest I have found is a Certificate from International Correspondence Schools (mail order) in 1890's, but they do not offer it any more.

Which makes a lot of sense, since most surveyors were needed out west where there was almost no choices in schools.

I am finding that most of the schools that offer it now, have not had their programs for very long and the ones that offered it back in the early 1900s no longer offer it.

goodgps · Post by **goodgps** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:56 pm

The Davies New Surveying book was published 1873.
There is a hand written note on the inside leaf "C.W.Kislin" "Gainsville Ohio
March 12 1876" "Commenced studying today"

I wonder if there was a college offering degrees in Gainsville Ohio ? If so, it dates at least 1876.

Pretty interesting book, I might add, as it makes reference to the aquirements of Col. Jared Mansfield as to the science presented to him by President Jefferson.

Coy Glasscock · Post by **Coy Glasscock** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:24 am

Here is a letter (email) from University of Scranton.

Dear Mr. Glasscock:

The University of Scranton is a separate institution from the
International Correspondence Schools. ICS was founded in Scranton and
still exists, but it was acquired by a number of different companies
over the years and is currently called Penn Foster (pennfoster.edu).
However, Weinberg Library Special Collections holds what's left of the
historical records of the International Correspondence Schools. The
book you have was probably published by ICS for one of its
correspondence courses.

Concerning the first college to offer a degree in land surveying, I
really don't know but I can provide a couple resources that you can
check for more detailed information. My guess is that it would have
been West Point since West Point offered the best engineering training
in the United States during the first half of the 19th century.
However, it's certainly possible that another institution offered the
first degree in the field.

Good luck with your research.

Sincerely,

Michael Knies
Special Collections Librarian/Associate Professor
Weinberg Memorial Library
University of Scranton

Coy Glasscock · Post by **Coy Glasscock** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:26 am

Email from: Terry Dantin, PHD, PE, PLS

Mr. Glasscock,

One of the oldest universities offering a surveying degree as far as I know is

Ferris State University
901 S State St General Information: (231) 591 - 2000
Big Rapids, MI 49307 Financial Aid Office: (231) 591 - 2110
www.ferris.edu/ Admissions Office: (231) 591 - 2100

You may want to start there.
I would be interested in your findings.

Terry J. Dantin, Ph.D., P.E., P.L.S.
Professor & Geomatics Program Coordinator
Head, Department of Applied Sciences
Nicholls State University
Thibodaux, LA 70310
985-448-4725

RAM · Post by **RAM** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:35 am

And When did Ferris give out the first Degree. Fresno was aroung 1972-1974, but Ohis State or Purdue may have been sooner. What about OIT, or Wasn't there a School of Mines someplace?

Coy Glasscock · Post by **Coy Glasscock** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:48 am

Ram,
I don't know about Ferris, I will need to contact them to check. It appears for now that one of the first classes taught was at West Point, but that may not have been a degree program. Which means that GoodGPS may have one of the first Survey Manuals (printed privatly for class room use in the US).

Also for now (until I find out otherwise) it is looking like the first Certificate specific to Land Surveying was I.C.S. in the 1890's. But that is not confirmed. I find it hard to belive the first was a mail order.

Rob_LS · Post by **Rob_LS** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:14 pm

Interesting question Coy - Check in "the magazines" for the North American Surveying and Mapping Educators Conference. Google it if you don't find the info readilly... Also check Cal Surveyor #152 Pg 38 for an article by a briliant, but little known author... (a fantastic editor really makes all the difference...) Chuck Ghilani at Penn State is also a good source of info...

The next NASME conference is scheduled for July 2009, and at this time MAY be relocated to SoCal... Stay tuned for details...

Rob

Edward Reading · Post by **Edward Reading** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:24 pm

When I was attending OIT I heard that they had the first BS in Surveying in the country.