Edward Griffith Begle (November 27, 1914 – March 2, 1978) was a

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

best known for his role as the director of the

School Mathematics Study Group The School Mathematics Study Group (SMSG) was an American academic think tank focused on the subject of reform in mathematics education. Directed by Edward G. Begle and financed by the National Science Foundation, the group was created in 1958 i ...

(SMSG), the primary group credited for developing what came to be known as The New Math. Begle was a

topologist Topology (from the Greek words , and ) is the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties of a geometric object that are preserved under continuous deformations, such as stretching, twisting, crumpling, and bending; that is, without ...

and a researcher in

mathematics education In contemporary education, mathematics education—known in Europe as the didactics or pedagogy of mathematics—is the practice of teaching, learning, and carrying out Scholarly method, scholarly research into the transfer of mathematical know ...

who served as a member of the faculty of

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

The University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Michigan is one of th ...

, and

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

. Begle was also elected as the secretary of the

American Mathematical Society The American Mathematical Society (AMS) is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, and serves the national and international community through its publications, meetings, ...

in 1951, and he held the position for 6 years.

Biography

Edward G. Begle was born November 27, 1914, in

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in Saginaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 44,202 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Saginaw River, Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township, ...

. Studying at the University of Michigan, Begle earned his A.B. in Mathematics in 1936 and his M.A. in 1938. Begle's early academic work was in the field of topology, which is where he earned his Ph.D. at Princeton, studying under

Solomon Lefschetz Solomon Lefschetz (; 3 September 1884 – 5 October 1972) was a Russian-born American mathematician who did fundamental work on algebraic topology, its applications to algebraic geometry, and the theory of non-linear ordinary differential equatio ...

in 1940. While Begle's contributions to the field of mathematical research are limited, among them is the first proof of the Vietoris theorem, which caused it to become commonly known as the Vietoris–Begle mapping theorem. Begle departed Princeton a year after completing his doctorate to spend a year as a Fellow of the National Research Council, after which he joined the faculty of Yale in 1942. Begle's interest in mathematics education is apparent in his early mathematics texts, where the writing departs from the tradition at the time of writing textbooks addressed to accomplished mathematicians. Instead, Begle's introductory mathematics texts actually address freshman mathematicians, a revolutionary concept in teaching math. As Begle's stature increased as an educator within the field of mathematics, he gained notice within his field and was elected secretary of the American Mathematical Society in 1951. In the wake of

Sputnik Sputnik 1 (, , ''Satellite 1''), sometimes referred to as simply Sputnik, was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space progra ...

in 1958, Begle gained the directorship of the

, a post he would hold for 15 years. Under his leadership, the SMSG published numerous reports and studies, culminating in its series of books detailing the teaching revolution known as The New Math. It was in this capacity that in 1961, Begle took on an appointment as professor in the School of Education at Stanford as well as a courtesy appointment in the Stanford Department of Mathematics. Also in 1961, Begle was awarded with the Mathematical Association of America's highest honor: The Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics. At the time of his death in 1978, Begle was working on a compilation of the results of his 15-year tenure as the director of the SMSG and a culmination of his lifetime of experience in mathematics education. Published posthumously in 1979, ''Critical Variables in Mathematics Education: Findings from a Survey of the Empirical Literature'' was listed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics as Begle's most influential work.

Bibliography

* 1951 ''Introductory calculus, with analytic geometry'',

Holt, Rinehart and Winston Holt McDougal is an American publishing company, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, that specializes in textbooks for use in high schools. The Holt name is derived from that of U.S. publisher Henry Holt (1840–1926), co-founder of ...

, revised edition 1960,

* 1955 ''Freshman mathematics at Yale University, (National Science Foundation)'', Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College * 1955 ''Lectures on experimental programs in collegiate mathematics, (National Science Foundation)'', Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College * 1964 ''Cooperative research project no. F-037: Final report. I. Conference on Mathematics Education for Below Average Achievers. II. Writing experience for potential ... participation in a group writing project'',

Stanford University Press Stanford University Press (SUP) is the publishing house of Stanford University. It is one of the oldest academic presses in the United States and the first university press to be established on the West Coast. It is currently a member of the Ass ...

* 1971 ''Calculus'',

* 1972 ''Teacher knowledge and student achievement in algebra'',

* 1972 ''Teacher effectiveness in mathematics instruction (NLSMA reports)'', Available from A.C. Vroman * 1972 ''The prediction of mathematics achievement (NLSMA reports)'', Available from A.C. Vroman * 1975 ''The mathematics of the elementary school'',

McGraw-Hill McGraw Hill is an American education science company that provides educational content, software, and services for students and educators across various levels—from K-12 to higher education and professional settings. They produce textbooks, ...

* 1979 ''Critical Variables in Mathematics Education: Findings from a Survey of the Empirical Literature'',

Mathematical Association of America The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is a professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. Members include university A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary edu ...

References

NCTM Biography of Edward Griffith Begle

List of Books by Edward Griffith Begle

Mathematics Genealogy Project Entry on Edward Griffith Begle

Edward G. Begle Memorial Resolution
{{DEFAULTSORT:Begle, Edward G. 1914 births 1978 deaths People from Saginaw, Michigan University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni Stanford Graduate School of Education faculty Princeton University faculty University of Michigan faculty Yale University faculty Stanford University Department of Mathematics faculty 20th-century American mathematicians Mathematicians from Michigan