(628) 
continuing efforts on research and development of photogrammetric tech- 
niques and equipment undertaken by the manufacturers of photogrammetric 
equipment, many of whom are exhibiting their latest developments at this con- 
gress. Summing up then for Europe we have accepted professional status, 
backed by specialized academic training and research, and further supported 
by commercial research and development as well as governmental subsidies. 
Let us now look at the Western Hemisphere. Here as a result of tradition 
we have had up until recently a situation where training in our profession has 
been limited to an abbreviated appendage to other already established and 
crowded curricula designed to meet the needs of other professions. As an ap- 
pendage it cannot, academically at least, justify its own independent profession- 
alble status. That this independent status is essential to progress self-evident; 
for proof of this you need only examine those sciences which have received 
professional recognition in this country and their development to their present 
status. 
A profession must have an established minimum of background knowl- 
edge acquired by academic work and/or experience which must be attained by 
an individual before he can be accepted as a member of that profession. That 
some, or many, will acquire more than the required minimum is all to the 
good and over a period of time will tend to raise the overall standards as well 
as the minimum requirements. 
In this country one assumes certain basic competencies exist among mem- 
bers of an accepted profession. Where this assumption cannot be made, no pro- 
fession exists. We walk into a doctor’s, dentist’s, or lawyer’s office, without hesi- 
tation for advice and assistance because of the assurance given us by the stand- 
ing of his profession. We assume they are competent to deal with our problems 
because they have been required to meet a basic academic standard before they 
are permitted to practice their profession. 
It is this basic academic standard, as well as the facilities for specialization 
which are essential to every profession and with which we here in America 
must be increasingly concerned. Traditionally here in the United States the 
civil engineering departments have taught such surveying and mapping courses 
as were given in the past. Civil engineering for the past thirty years has in it- 
self been going through a process of evolution until today it might be more 
appropriately called construction engineering. This evolution has resulted in 
the addition of courses needed for the training of a construction engineer, that 
is, training in the design and construction of public works and large structures. 
Each additional course so added has meant the elimination of an equivalent 
number of academic hours in class work which the civil engineer has felt is not 
his prime responsibility. Invariably this has been accomplished by reducing the 
number of hours given to all surveying and mapping courses. During the past 
thirty years the number of college credit hours in the average civil curriculum 
given to surveying and mapping courses has dropped from approximately thirty 
to about ten. 
Thus, not only are graduate civil engineers of to-day receiving on the 
average only one-third of the instruction in surveying and mapping that they 
did three decades ago, but of equal significance those now entering the teach- 
ing profession have themselves received an inadequate training to properly 
train others in this field. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
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