Price, G. Baley (Griffith Baley), 1905-2006

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The Eighth Air Force was the first division to have an operations analysis section and its section remained the largest through World War II. Section members used mathematical analysis to improve bombing accuracy and efficiency.

From the description of Air Force Operations Analysis Section collection, 1942-1985. (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 52179154

G. Baley Price (1905- ) was a professor of mathematics at the University of Kansas, Lawrence from 1937-1975, including a term as chair of the department from 1951-1970. Price helped to establish the School Mathematics Study Group and was intimately involved with its development and spread of the "New Math." A former president of the Mathematical Association of America, he was awarded their Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics in 1970. In addition, Price was a civilian operations analyst at the headquarters of the Eighth Air Force in England (1943-1945). Price is the author of a history of his experiences with mathematics during World War II, as well as a history of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

From the guide to the G. Baley Price Papers 93-372., 1932-1993, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

G. Baley Price (1905- ) was a professor of mathematics at the University of Kansas at Lawrence from 1937-1975, including a term as chair of the department from 1951-1970. Price helped to establish the School Mathematics Study Group and was intimately involved with its development and the spread of the "New Math" movement. A former president of the Mathematical Association of America, Price was awarded their Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics in 1970. In addition, he was a civilian operations analyst at the headquarters of the Eighth Air Force in England (1943-1945). Price is the author of a history of his experiences with mathematics during World War II, as well as a history of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Kansas at Lawrence.

From the description of Price, G. Baley, papers, 1932-1993. (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 52590371

Griffith Baley Price was born March 14, 1905, in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Price received his A.B. from Mississippi College in 1925 and his A.M. and Ph.D. from Harvard in 1928 and 1932, respectively. While studying for his A.M. at Harvard, he was a Townsend Scholar. Upon earning his Ph.D., Price taught at both Mississippi College and Harvard University, then at Union College (N.Y.), University of Rochester (N.Y.), and Brown University before arriving at the University of Kansas (KU) in 1937. Price was promoted to Professor in 1943 and then named Chair of the Department in 1951, a position he held until 1970. From 1943 to 1945, Price was a civilian operations analyst for the Army Air Force, serving in the U.S. Army Eighth Air Force Operational Research Section helping to improve bombing accuracy. Upon his return, Price received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1946-1947. In the 1950s Price also served as a consultant to the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Price was always at the cutting edge of mathematics research and education, and was instrumental in bringing the first computer to KU's campus in 1956. During the 1960s, he was a key developer of "New Math," which focused on using new theories, in combination with established practices, to find broader applications for mathematics in business and science. Price and several others compiled the first textbook for these classes, which pushed the level of mathematics education for new college students to a much higher level and was adopted at universities around the country.

Price was involved in numerous professional societies during his career, and held positions in many of these organizations. He was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Mississippi College in 1962, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Mathematical Association of America, an organization for which he also served as Kansas section chairman and chairman of the Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics. In 1974 Price was nominated to the new E.B. Stouffer Professorship in Mathematics, one of the few times a named chair position at KU has gone to one of its own faculty members. In his later years he wrote a history of the Department of Mathematics, covering its inception in 1866 through 1970. Price retired in 1975.

Price and his wife, Cora Lee Beers Price, also a KU professor, in the Department of Classics, remained involved with the University long after their retirements. G. Baley Price funded a graduate fellowship position with Spencer Research Library. Cora Lee Beers Price was named a KU Woman of Distinction. Both have professorships named in their honor. Dr. Price's autobiography is stored in Papers series Box 1 of the collection.

From the guide to the Personal Papers of G. Baley Price, 1920-1990, (University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library University Archives)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn William L. Duren Jr. Papers 2008-269; 2010-192. 464696638., 1925-2005 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Price, G. Baley (Griffith Baley), 1905-. Price, G. Baley, papers, 1932-1993. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Mathematical Association of America. History of American Mathematics in World War II Committee Records 86-15; 89-8., 1944-1967, 1978-1983 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Air Force Operations Analysis Section Collection, 93-301., 1942-1948, 1985 and undated Archives of American Mathematics, Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin
creatorOf Mathematical Association of America. History of American Mathematics in World War II Committee. Mathematical Association of America. History of American Mathematics in World War II Committee records, 1943-1983. University of Texas Libraries
creatorOf Price, G. Baley (Griffith Baley), 1905-. [Personal Papers of G. Baley Price] University of Kansas Archives / MSS / Rare Books, Kenneth Spencer Research Library
referencedIn Personal Papers of G. Baley Price, 1920-1990 University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library University Archives
referencedIn Claude Elwood Shannon Papers, 1932-1995, (bulk 1938-1989) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Personal Papers of G. Baley Price, 1920-1990 University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library University Archives
creatorOf Price, G. Baley (Griffith Baley), 1905-. Air Force Operations Analysis Section collection, 1942-1985. University of Texas Libraries
creatorOf G. Baley Price Papers 93-372., 1932-1993 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Air Force Operations Analysis Section corporateBody
associatedWith American Mathematical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Archibald, Raymond Clare person
associatedWith Arps, Leslie H person
associatedWith Birkhoff, George D person
associatedWith Case, Bettye Anne, ed person
associatedWith Committee on the Undergraduate Program person
associatedWith Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics person
associatedWith Dartmouth College Writing Group person
associatedWith Duren, Peter, ed person
associatedWith Duren, William L. Jr. person
associatedWith Ewing, John H., ed person
associatedWith Federal Work Agency, Works Projects Administration person
associatedWith Freeman, Roger A person
associatedWith Graustein, William C person
associatedWith Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences person
associatedWith Hodgman, Charles D person
associatedWith Hodgman, Charles D. and Norbert A. Lange person
associatedWith Huntington, E. V person
associatedWith Johnston, John B., G. Baley Price, and Fred S. Van Vleck person
associatedWith Kansas Summer Writing Group person
associatedWith Kaplan, Philip and Rex A. Smith person
associatedWith Kelley, John L. and Isaac Namioka person
associatedWith KU Department of Mathematics person
associatedWith Mathematical Association of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Mathematical Association of America. History of American Mathematics in World War II Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith Mathematical Association of America. History of American Mathematics in World War II Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith May, Kenneth O., ed person
associatedWith McArthur, Charles W person
associatedWith McLemore, Richard A. and Nannie Pitts McLemore person
associatedWith Miser, Hugh J., ed person
associatedWith Newman, James R person
associatedWith Osgood, W. F person
associatedWith Osgood, William F person
associatedWith Peirce, B. O person
associatedWith Pence, William D. and Milo S. Ketchum person
associatedWith Pitcher, Everett person
correspondedWith Price, Cora Lee Beers person
correspondedWith Price, Cora Lee Beers person
associatedWith Price, G. Baley person
correspondedWith Rosser, J. Barkley (John Barkley), 1907- person
correspondedWith Rosser J. Barley (John Barkley), 1907- person
associatedWith School Mathematics Study Group. corporateBody
correspondedWith Shannon, Claude Elwood, 1916-2001. person
associatedWith Thomas, Joseph M person
associatedWith Trautwine, John C person
associatedWith Trelease, Sam F. and Emma S. Yule person
associatedWith United States. Air Force corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Air Force, 8th. Operational Analysis Section. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Air Force. Air Force, 8th corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army Air Forces. Operational Research Section, 8th. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Kansas. Dept. of Mathematics. corporateBody
associatedWith Ward, Henry Baldwin and Edward Ellery person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
United States
American
Subject
Bombing, Aerial
Mathematical analysis
Mathematicians
Mathematicians
Mathematics
Mathematics
University of Kansas. Dept. of Mathematics.
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Collector
Activity

Person

Birth 1905-03-14

Death 2006-11-07

Americans

English

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