Dear editor:
While on the web, I recently discovered Emily Johnson’s article on “Mansfield City Schools bring back memories for alumni.” Like others mentioned in the article, I also attended Brinkerhoff Elementary, Johnny Appleseed, and then Mansfield Senior High. I graduated in the class of 1963.
My last year at Mansfield Senior High had a major impact on me, setting the stage for my professional career. That is due in large part to my having taken William Lantz’s course on calculus. I remember Mr. Lantz as a kind and patient teacher who was always available for help as I and others in his class struggled through the intricate details of learning both differential and integral calculus.
At that time not many high schools in the USA offered courses in calculus, so it was a definite plus for me when I entered Georgia Tech to pursue a degree in electrical engineering which is based extensively on calculus. In fact, my having had calculus at Mansfield Senior High led to my being accepted into the honors section of calculus in my second year at Georgia Tech.
After graduating from Tech in 1967, I went on to Stanford University where I continued my studies in electrical engineering and mathematics, graduating with a Ph.D. in 1971. I was then on the faculty at Georgia Tech and the University of Florida, and in 1987 I published my first book on signals and systems, which is also based to a large extent on calculus. Shortly after the book was published, I returned to Mansfield to visit my parents who were still living there. On that visit, I had the pleasure of giving a copy of my book to Mr. Lantz, in recognition of the role he had played in my development.
I am honored to have been one of Mr. Lantz’s students and to be a graduate of Mansfield Senior High School.
Edward Kamen, Florida
Mansfield Senior High, Class of 1963