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Auguste-Savinien Leblond

By
Managing Real Estate Broker with Fathom Realty PB00068179

Auguste-Savinien Leblond was born in France back in 1760.  He came from a family of mathematicians.  I don’t have any information on where he went to school or much of anything about his formal education.  What I can tell you about him of course is the rest of the story.  This one is going to be short so let’s get to it.

He was a teacher of mathematics but he also published works that earned him the esteem of his peers. He is remembered as the inventor of a fixed and universal measurement of length.  He also designed mechanical devices called “logarithmic dials”, for converting traditional and metric measures which was abandoned in favor of slide rules. He was employed the Prints Department of the Royal Library, he was particularly interested in what was known as “education through the eyes”, the use of visual methods for teaching. 

Now, back to his invention of the fixed and universal measurement.  In 1790, he called his unit of measurement the “metre” or “meter” which is 39.37 inches. 

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Comments (18)

Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

Good morning Wayne,

The slide rule was a great instrument in its day!

And the goog old USA is still trying to convert to the metric system!

Make yourself an awesome day.

May 10, 2021 04:44 AM
Bill Salvatore - East Valley
Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ
Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

James,

I never understood the meter over our system.  thanks for the post and make it the best Monday.

Bill Salvatore

May 10, 2021 04:48 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

James Dray good morning, James... I'll admit it... even after living in Europe, I never got the hang of calculating anything in metres. Kilograms and liters I got... metres not so much.

May 10, 2021 04:49 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning James. Can remember when the slide rule ruled. As for the metric system, still having my problems. Enjoy your day.

May 10, 2021 05:00 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Hi James - I had my slide rule which no one even remembers after calculators and now compputers.

May 10, 2021 05:18 AM
faye schubert

I was really good with the slide rule in high school. Then came the hand calculators.

May 10, 2021 06:10 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I am more of a visual learner so I would have certainly appreciated his teaching methods and math was always my favorite subject in school.

May 10, 2021 05:25 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

NOT one of my heros James Dray as I never caught on to the meteric system. Unfortunately for me my Chevy Yukon came from Canada so all the instrumention is in meteric measures.

May 10, 2021 05:27 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello James - I am still thinking about Leblond growing up in a family of mathematicians.  Imagine the dinner time conversation. . .   How was you day today?  Solve any thing interesting?   Tell me your problem could entail a lengthy discussion that would likely go over my head.

May 10, 2021 06:00 AM
Ray Henson
eXp Realty of California, Inc. (lic. #01878277) - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor

Another interesting history lesson.  Thank you for sharing it.

May 10, 2021 06:10 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thank you very much, James, for sharing this story.

Take care, be safe and have an outstanding week.

May 10, 2021 07:56 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

James,

I grew up with meters, kilograms, kilometers. etc.  When we move to America, a whole new system to adopt.  And now when we travel to Europe, I find it a pain to reverse!  LOL A

May 10, 2021 08:15 AM
Rocky Dickerson
Realty One Group - Las Vegas, NV
Superior Service!

Good morning James! I remember using slide rules just as an alternative

May 10, 2021 08:54 AM
Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty
Waves Realty - Melbourne, FL
Florida Space Coast Homes

At least he did not name it after himself...imagine if you said "I need three leblonds"

May 10, 2021 09:01 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi James- I remember when there was talk of the US going to the metric system!!!

May 10, 2021 10:57 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Yes I'm going to have to brush up on my French history because I didn't know about the meter but I didn't know it was 39 inches roughly. Thank you for sharing James Dray 

May 10, 2021 01:08 PM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

James I started with Metrics and then came to Inches now with that said I still had no idea who he was:)Endre

May 10, 2021 11:46 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Thanks for another interesting history lesson - that was a different sort of invention.

May 11, 2021 12:42 PM
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

In 1790 Auguste-Savinien Leblond established the meter as the universal unit of measurement. Yet, we in the U. S. have never adopted the meter…preferring the foot…an arbitrary length determined by the size of the foot of an English King, I believe.

Oct 10, 2021 05:44 PM