James Park (geologist)

[1][3][4] In 1889 he became the director of the Thames School of Mines, which had been founded in 1885–86 to teach miners basic skills in geology, chemistry, metallurgy, physics and mathematics.

In addition to writing the syllabus, Park supervised schools at Coromandel and Kuotunu and he started a building programme.

After updating the curriculum and moving from the "tin shed" to a new building, he became the dean of the mining faculty in 1913.

[4] In 1931 he retired at age 75, and the University's professorial board recorded that he "made the Diploma of the School a passport to the Mining Companies throughout the world".

[1] Park wrote seven textbooks on mining topics, and total sales are estimated at more than 70,000 copies.