Jack Schmitt began his engineering experience in the U. S. Army, serving from 1967- 1970 as an artillery surveyor, providing coordinate and elevation control at the division artillery level. The state-of-the-art technology at that time required the use of chaining, plumb bob, coordinates, and azimuth, as well as the use of an ephemeris and transit. He served in Germany, state-side and in Vietnam.
He has detailed his experiences in his book titled Potato People. Upon completion of his military service, Mr. Schmitt returned to college, enrolled in the cooperative education program, and completed the requirements for a B. S. C. E. from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1973. His co-op experiences utilized his survey skills for mapping the field layout on the I-5 extension for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and on-stream cross-sections for the HUD floodplain mapping project. He developed his manual drafting skills in the preparation of contract plans for various clients, including the Cook County Highway Department and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.
Mr. Schmitt's practical experience was founded upon the pre-computer-aided drafting skills required to plot topography from survey books using scales and lead holders, tee-squares, and plastic triangles. The topography was then photographed for use as base mapping, from which plan sheets showing existing conditions could be developed. The proposed conditions were hand-drawn in red pencil and traced with ink on starched linen or plastic mylar sheets. Back-checking was performed using light tables or by holding one sheet on top of another against a windowpane. He was fortunate enough to spend summers on the survey crews, and winters doing design work. He also served on construction assignments as assistant resident and resident engineer on several federal-funded projects for which he had provided design input.
He has detailed his experiences in his book titled Potato People. Upon completion of his military service, Mr. Schmitt returned to college, enrolled in the cooperative education program, and completed the requirements for a B. S. C. E. from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1973. His co-op experiences utilized his survey skills for mapping the field layout on the I-5 extension for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and on-stream cross-sections for the HUD floodplain mapping project. He developed his manual drafting skills in the preparation of contract plans for various clients, including the Cook County Highway Department and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.
Mr. Schmitt's practical experience was founded upon the pre-computer-aided drafting skills required to plot topography from survey books using scales and lead holders, tee-squares, and plastic triangles. The topography was then photographed for use as base mapping, from which plan sheets showing existing conditions could be developed. The proposed conditions were hand-drawn in red pencil and traced with ink on starched linen or plastic mylar sheets. Back-checking was performed using light tables or by holding one sheet on top of another against a windowpane. He was fortunate enough to spend summers on the survey crews, and winters doing design work. He also served on construction assignments as assistant resident and resident engineer on several federal-funded projects for which he had provided design input.
