Benjamin Moulton

Benjamin Moulton, 89, of Terre Haute died Saturday morning, Sept. 30, 2006, in his home.

He was born Aug. 25, 1917, in Medford, Mass., to Elmer and Mary Moulton. His wife of 50 years, Mary Magdalena Moulton, preceded him. Survivors include a daughter, Dorcas Louise Moulton, of San Francisco; son, William Raymond Moulton and his wife Kim of Terre Haute; granddaughters, Harmony Doughton, Stacy Barnhart and her husband Damon, and Tanya Decker; and great-grandson, Devon Barnhart. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Priscilla Anne Moulton.

He was an educator, an academic administrator and a champion for the improvement of Terre Haute through the political process. He graduated from a small high school in Northboro, Mass., during the depths of the Great Depression. In 1939, he graduated from Clark University, only 10 miles from his home in Massachusetts, after which he traveled to Indiana and received his master’s from Butler University in 1941. He received a second master’s in 1945 and a doctorate in 1950, both from Indiana University.

He was an assistant professor at Butler University from 1943 to 1944, visiting lecturer at the University of Florida and assistant professor at Florida State University from 1946 to 1947, instructor at Western Reserve University from 1947 to 1948, associate professor at Butler University from 1948 to 1955, Ballenger Chair in Earth Sciences at Flint Community College in Michigan from 1955 to 1961, visiting lecturer of Eastern Michigan University from 1955 to 1961, associate professor at Indiana State University from 1961 to 1964 and professor and chairman of the Department of Geography and Geology from 1964 to 1983.

He published 17 articles, reviewed more than 40 books, taught graduate courses in geography at six colleges and universities, directed 12 field courses to Alaska, northwestern United States, and within Indiana, served on more than 25 Indiana State University committees and directed in-service institutes for teachers of earth science. He worked with 14 science fairs in Michigan and Indiana and served as a judge in 10 others. He was an exceptional chairman and academic leader. Under his direction, the Department of Geography and Geology grew from a staff of five in 1960 to a staff of 20 in 1975, added a staff cartographer, three secretaries, and 35 full-time graduate students in 1983. He founded the graduate program in geography and geology and the first doctorate program, geography, at Indiana State University. His insights into graduate work in the United States and the innovations in geotechniques in the 1960s led him to conclude that a traditional master’s and doctoral program at Indiana State University with a focus on Satellite Remote Sensing and computer spatial analysis would set the new graduate program apart from others.

He stressed high academic and moral standards for faculty and staff, encouraging them to seek external grants and contract funding to support undergraduate and graduate research and faculty equipment needs, and maintained an Indiana State University presence at regional, national, and international conferences.

He was a member of 14 professional organizations, three honorary societies, and was cited numerous times in Who’s Who in America.

It is requested by the family that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Benjamin Moulton Awards, Department of Geography, Geology and Anthropology at Indiana State University.