From its origin in 1859 when earth science courses were first offered in the agricultural program, to the establishment of the School of Mines in 1890 with its single major in mining engineering, to the creation of a College of Mineral Industries by Dean Edward Steidle in the 1930s, and up to the present as a comprehensive College dedicated to the study of the entire earth, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences of The Pennsylvania State University has been at the cutting edge in advancing knowledge.Will Miller"s history of the College charts the evolution of one of the uniquely structured colleges in he American university system. The College has long recognized that the success of its teaching and research programs rests squarely on the abilities of its faculty. Dr. Miller therefore emphasizes the work of individual faculty members in each of the disciplines of the College and reveals the strong interaction between teaching and research and its benefits to students.