The work of his daughter is more popular than his own works. And people who are not friends with mathematics have not died. It would be worth them to get acquainted with the works of the father of the famous writer.
People say that only one who can master discipline can become a real teacher. This man managed not only to cope with the mathematics that we all dislike in school, but also to invent a way that will help all the sufferers sitting at their desks.
Childhood
John Bull lived in the English provincial town of Lincoln. He was a simple cobbler, but all his life he strove for knowledge. When in November 1815 the wife gave him a son, the worker decided that he would certainly raise a competent person. They called the boy George and from a young age encouraged his curiosity.
English city of Lincoln, where George Bull was born
The family was not rich, there was no one to spend money on education for a child in a prestigious school. John sent his heir to the most ordinary educational institution, and in the evenings he began to invite friends who were known as local intelligentsia. George listened to adult conversations, could get an answer to any question and even participate in a dispute. The parent wanted to see him as a mathematician, but the boy became friends with a bookseller and became interested in literature. Soon, a twelve-year-old student was fluent in Latin. Later, the teenager mastered 4 more languages and began to think about receiving spiritual dignity. With the exact sciences, the guy was not going smoothly.
Youth
In 1831 gloomy times came for Boules. The financial situation of the family has worsened. George could no longer remain a parasite and began a job search. The child prodigy was immediately offered the position of assistant school teacher. They did not promise to pay much, but access to the library and time for self-education were provided in unlimited quantities. The young man agreed.
For four years, a young man could only satisfy his hunger for knowledge. Parents not only tolerated this behavior of their son, but also encouraged him. The fact is that, having started his career, George became interested in mathematics. He not only mastered everything that he missed at school, but also began to put forward his own hypotheses. The talented self-taught did not want to vegetate on the outskirts of a provincial school. He was looking for ways to introduce his findings to a wide audience. In 1835, he opened his own educational institution, where he helped children learn mathematics. The methods this teacher used worked.
George Bull School in Lincoln
Success
In 1839, Buhl was able to post his article in a scientific journal. It was very unusual - a person without a higher education is printed in solid periodicals. They paid attention to the young man. In 1844, the Royal Scientific Community rated George Bull's achievements in mathematics as a medal.
The phenomenon attracts attention, but, as a rule, is not credible. Magazines published articles by the prize winner, but making a scientific career was not so simple. Our hero was able to find a place in the teaching staff of the university when he was invited to Queens College in the Irish city of Cork. Colleagues who knew mathematics from the people well insisted that it was Buhl who was invited to the professorship of this institution, which had recently opened its doors to students.
George Bull
Pundit
The simple guy, Boole, quickly won the sympathy of the British scholarly community. In 1855, the famous geographer George Everest, whose name will be assigned to the highest mountain peak in the world, introduced him to his niece Mary, who worked as a teacher and was a very interesting conversationalist. Soon in the personal life of our hero there was a cardinal change - he married his new friend.
Wife admired the nugget from Lincoln. She created him all the conditions for fruitful work. The fanaticism of this person sometimes crossed all borders: when Mary found her faithful behind literary work, she threw his manuscript into the fireplace. Having entered into legal marriage, George Bull stopped writing poems and doing translations of classics. The wife gave him five daughters, the biography of each of them is worthy of a separate story.
Spouses Boule and their children
Confession
In 1857, a professor without a diploma became a member of the Royal Society of London. What is so curious George Bull discovered? Having independently studied mathematics, he proposed to approach this discipline from the point of view of formal logic. He denied the practice of "memorizing" the rules and formulas, offering to solve all problems independently. A great original and a good teacher suggested using allegories for memorization. This scientist is considered the founder of mathematical logic.
Buhl’s contribution to mathematics can be appreciated even by a person who is not interested in this discipline. Today, the scientist’s ideas are used in electronic devices. It is he who holds the opinion that there are only 2 possible answers, which later found its reflection in the computer.
