Art And The Mathmagician Origins Of The Mathbase Maths Programs

I first met Richard Glenberg, a 6ft gangly bespectacled Geordie academic sometime in the autumn of 1993.

I had replied to an ad in the local newspaper asking for tutors to work at his new college in Bow, London.

I had been lecturing in economics, at the prestigious Brunel Campus of Ealing Tertiary College which was on the other side of London and entailed a total of 4 hours commuting a day.

So I was looking for something closer to home.

I walked into the imposing former local government offices, that had been sold to a private developer and was impressed by the Art deco design of the buildings exterior, and the fantastic Art works that festooned the massive hallways.

I took the elevator up the 4^th floor and walked into a well-appointed set of meeting rooms but the place was empty. I did the usual “hello, is there anybody here?” silence.

OK now what? I’m here, I’m on time. Where is this guy?

I tentatively began walking around trying to find ‘anyone’. Finally I found a small back room studio and there was Richard, covered in paint.

Appearing completely exhausted, with a look of exasperation on his face, a broad Geordie voice said. “Ooo helew”; “yaw mosst be Maacal, surry aboot the paaint” as he reached out his paint splattered hand to shake my hand!

After some awkward shifting and shuffling we shook hands and he led off to the kitchen and made us some tea, in some paint encrusted grotty looking cups.

Richard told me that he had started the college a 6 months earlier and had a few students for math and needed someone to cover economics, finance and politics.

I could see right away that this guy was not making any money but was intrigued by him and the Art and wanted to know more so I stayed and we chatted, and we chatted and we chatted before I knew it I had been there 4 hours and I knew I really liked this new chap and that I was going to help him. No contest!

He had an early Macintosh computer (brand new then) but didn’t really have much of an idea as to how to use it. So there was my first lesson (unpaid of course) Teaching Richard how to use his computer. This guy was slick!

Richard had an ad running in the local press and we started getting a lot of enquiries and students.

Mostly they had failed their A level economics, politics or social science exams and so couldn’t get into any university until they passed. We went to work.

I was getting the lion’s share of clients and Richard got just a few. Even with the increase in turnover, as the end of my first month came around.

I knew that Richard hadn’t made enough, to pay the landlord the months’ rent. (I told you we had chatted. I knew every aspect of his flimsy financial arrangements)

Stavros the landlord was a jovial rotund Greek man in his 50’s and was very friendly, he often popped in to say hello.

I said to Richard “what are we going to do?”

We had just started on what looked like being a good little business and here it was going out of the window already.

He said “dun’t wurri Mark, A’l sort it uwt!” I don’t know why he called me Mark?

It transpired that the paintings that bedecked the building had been painted by Richard and this is how he had been paying the rent since he moved in.

He just haggled with Stavros until he accepted a painting in lieu of rent

The paintings themselves Richard explained were all based on mathematical formulas and shapes that he saw in his head. Rhomboids and suchlike.

I had little clue of what he was talking about and made the usual uninformed comment. “Well I don’t know much about Art Richard but I know what I like.”.

Silence... I really didn’t know what to say or make of all these weird shapes and colours. Then I said. “I like that one.

The red and the yellow look nice!” It makes me giggle when I think of it now.

We had a lot of laughs at Bow College, and Richard filled the building with his Art.

We kept in touch as my career took a different direction and I moved overseas.

Many years later on one of my trips back to the UK, from South Africa, where I had settled.

I bumped into Richard in a supermarket of all places.

Mathbase Into South Africa

We had another 4 hour chat and he asked me if I would like to have the license to distribute his Mathbase program in South Africa.

I said “do you realize how big South Africa is? Misunderstanding me, He said “OK Mark ‘ave tut hole of Africa!”

Richard had made a small fortune, from a computer based maths programs for special education.

The Mathbase training programs that he had designed and written, really impressed me.

He was quiet happy to let me take the program to South Africa, which I did. And that deal was also done on a handshake?

After having spent several years in South Africa where I did my bit for local tourism.

I decided that I really should do something more useful. The Mathbase program gave me that opportunity.

The Mathbase program has now been placed on the recommended list for schools. By the Kanya Project which is the ICT division of the Western Cape Education Department.

I count Richard as my friend. He is a great human being.

I keep telling him he should get back to painting, but I guess he doesn't have to worry about the rent anymore.

Richards Mathbase programs have taught 1000's of people.

Art’s loss has been mathematics gain. Art and Mathematics’ what a combination?

He still calls me Mark to this day.

Visit Mathbase To See For Yourself. Click Here

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