The school was going through an abysmal period academically, with only 11 of us out of very large classes obtaining a first-class matric. Of course, in true WBHS tradition, sporting prowess and achievement were the only things the school could really be proud of at that time!
I received the mathematics and science prize at the end of the year. We had excellent teachers, ‘Shortie’—Mr. Lennox (Mathematics); ‘Tas’—Mr. Tasker (History); ‘Freddy’—Mr. Thorpe (Science), Mr. Francis (English), and Mr. Gilmore (Geography).
I was a boarder in Littlewood House, where Mr Morris did his best to provide a conducive environment to us who wanted to excel academically. But it was not to be. I was the only one who obtained a first-class matric—only just!
The externally set exam papers were stranger than fiction. I was supposed to get an A in mathematics and science. We must have been following the wrong curriculum. I had a panic attack when most of the questions were unrecognisable. I scraped a C in both subjects.
It took me a year in the army to get over that.
Wits University saw me graduate in Chemical Engineering in 1970. But ‘Shortie’ Lennox’s words always resonated with me, ‘Jimmy, you have top-notch mathematical skills. You should go down that path!’
I completed an M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering at Pretoria University and then a Ph.D. at Natal University. My research topic achieved international recognition in the field of minerals processing: ‘The Mathematical Structure associated with Flotation Networks.’ This opened the way to an academic career as a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at Stellenbosch University and then a Professor in Quantitative Management at Unisa.
‘Shortie’s’ words: ‘If yer math noot books contained state secrets, they’d be safe from prying eyes!’, were not meant for me. I was a favourite of his, not only for my interest in his mathematics class, but I was also one of the good buglers in his cadet band—we won the band competition in 1963!
When the mathematical analysis became tough, ‘Shortie’s’ encouragement always inspired me again.
However, I had a practical side to me, which led to me absconding to SASOL and then the Oil and Gas and Petrochemical business in Australia, where I worked as the Chief Process Engineer with Exxon Mobil (Esso Australia).
Retrenched at the age of 50, we (my wife and I) established a risk management company that assessed safety and environmental risks in the chemical industry. We were key consultants in this field to companies such as Caltex, Exxon Mobil, Shell, and BP.
Whatever I did, that inspiration from ‘Shortie’ Lennox has stayed with me throughout my life.