Qualification for "professor" title

[Gary of CA]

Balloonist Thaddeus Lowe wasn't affiliated with any university and as far as I can tell from F. Standbury Haydon's book, Military Ballooning during the Early Civil War, he wasn't educated either. What qualified him or anyone else for the professor title in the mid 19th Century? Granted Lowe did a lot of "home study" on his own before meeting the then experts, but then again, I don't believe Lowe as affiliated with any university or college. Thanks in advance.

[flattop32355]

Re: Qualification for "professor" title

Depends upon whether you're a college/university instructor or a snake oil salesman. The former requires years of study and a degree. The latter requires that you, and any others involved with you, refer to you as "Professor" Whatever-You're-Calling-Yourself-At-The-Time. If you could sound like you knew what you were talking about, often your credentials were not questioned.

[Vicksburg Dave]

Re: Qualification for "professor" title

I should have followed the latter route and saved myself a lot of time and money.

[GASharpshooter]

Re: Qualification for "professor" title

At the time, I'm sure his hydrogen producing wagons constituted very advanced chemistry and physics. Couple that with the fact that he didn't kill himself the first time he put a balloon up and any 1860's person would be hard pressed to argue his qualifications as a professor.

Lowe was way ahead of his time. I don't understand why, after he proved the concept, Union generals didn't demand more observation balloons.

[HistoryGeek]

Re: Qualification for "professor" title

At the time, I'm sure his hydrogen producing wagons constituted very advanced chemistry and physics. Couple that with the fact that he didn't kill himself the first time he put a balloon up and any 1860's person would be hard pressed to argue his qualifications as a professor.

Lowe was way ahead of his time. I don't understand why, after he proved the concept, Union generals didn't demand more observation balloons.

He was VERY lucky he didn't kill himself the first time he went up because in the U.S. ballons were still quite new. They would have been effective if you brought them close enough to the front for a sharpshooters rifle to of hit somebody they could of been very effective. Except for the artillery... :D

HistoryGeek
Evan Hunsberger