Lola J. May (October 29, 1923 – March 13, 2007) was a mathematics educator, consultant, author, producer of audio-visual materials, an early proponent of the

new math New Mathematics or New Math was a dramatic but temporary change in the way mathematics was taught in American grade schools, and to a lesser extent in European countries and elsewhere, during the 1950s1970s. Curriculum topics and teaching pract ...

educational process, and a household name among mathematics.

Life

Her father was a salesman and her mother was a homemaker. Her father taught her mathematics every night using a movable blackboard and a collection of coins. She found her early schooling boring and too strict, and she did not initially consider becoming a teacher. A native of Kenosha, WisconsinHoran, Deborah. 2007. "Lola J. May: 1923–2007." ''Chicago Tribune'' (March 19).
/ref> and a summa cum laude graduate of the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

in 1945, where she received her B.S. in mathematics and science. After teaching high school for three years, she studied and achieved her master's degree in mathematics at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

in 1950 and her doctorate in mathematics education from there in 1964. She taught mathematics at

New Trier Township High School New Trier High School (, also known as New Trier Township High School or NTHS) is a public four-year high school, with its main campus for sophomores through seniors located in Winnetka, Illinois, United States, and a campus in Northfield, Illinoi ...

in the

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

area until 1960, and was a mathematics consultant at the

Winnetka, Illinois Winnetka () is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located north of downtown Chicago. The population was 12,316 as of 2019. The village is one of the wealthiest places in the nation in terms of household income. It was the second- ...

public schools until 1998. Her summers were often spent teaching at the university level, but she taught mathematics to all grades over the course of her career. She promised herself to make her students laugh and ask questions. She did not want her students to be bored by or scared of mathematics. She succeeded; her students cheered when they figured out the answers to math problems and lamented when class time with Dr. May was over. May explained, "The big thing I have going for me is my enthusiasm. There are people who are brighter than I am. There are people who may be better teachers-although I'm pretty good at teaching-and there are certainly people who are better writers. But I have enthusiasm." This enthusiasm was not unnoticed; teachers in the same hallway as her described how loud she was. May died on March 13, 2007, in Evanston, Illinois, at the age of 83.

Contributions

Her authored works include her autobiography "Lola May Who?", the book "Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School", a number of Harcourt Brace textbooks, monthly articles for a regular column in the ''Teaching K-8'' magazine, and a series of articles for the

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

Magazine. May created videotapes, film strips, audiocassettes, and students' audiovisual programs for teaching mathematics. She led 20 shows about "new math" for parents and teachers on NCB TV from 1962 to 1964. She also designed a cartoon series about new math for an adult audience, called Space Age Math for Stone Age Parents. She frequently was a speaker at the annual California Math Conference and Northwest Math Conference during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. May also spoke at National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) conferences. She gave talks in all 50 states and around the world.

Recognition

Her awards include the Northwestern Alumni Merit Award in 1999, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Founded in 1920, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is a professional organization for schoolteachers of mathematics in the United States. One of its goals is to improve the standards of mathematics in education. NCTM holds an ...

in 1995, and the Educator of the Year Award from the Winnetka Chamber of Commerce.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:May, Lola J. 1923 births 2007 deaths People from Kenosha, Wisconsin Northwestern University alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni 20th-century American educators American mathematics educators American women mathematicians 20th-century women scientists