Magnus Wenninger facts for kids
Father Magnus J. Wenninger (born October 31, 1919 – died February 17, 2017) was an American mathematician and a Benedictine monk. He became famous for building models of polyhedra. A polyhedron is a 3D shape with flat faces, straight edges, and sharp corners, like a cube or a pyramid. Father Wenninger also wrote the first book about how to build these complex shapes.
Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Joseph Wenninger was born in Park Falls, Wisconsin. His parents were immigrants from Germany. From a young age, Joseph knew he wanted to be a priest. His family understood that his brother, Heinie, would become a baker like their father.
When Joseph was thirteen, he finished school in Park Falls. His parents saw an advertisement in a German newspaper called Der Wanderer. This ad was for a special school in Collegeville, Minnesota. This school was connected to St. John's University, run by Benedictine monks.
Joseph felt a little homesick at first. But he quickly made new friends. After a year, he knew this was the right place for him. He studied philosophy and theology at St. John's. These studies led him to become a priest.
His Career and Polyhedra
When Joseph became a Benedictine monk, he chose the name Magnus. This name means "Great." At the start of his career, Father Wenninger did not plan to become a famous polyhedron expert. A few unexpected events led him to his important studies.
After becoming a priest, Father Wenninger's leader, called an Abbot, told him about a new school. Their religious order was opening this school in the Bahamas. Father Wenninger was chosen to teach there. To do this, he needed a master's degree.
He went to the University of Ottawa in Canada. There, he studied educational psychology. He also learned about symbolic logic. His master's paper was about "The Concept of Number."
After getting his degree, Father Wenninger went to the school in the Bahamas. The headmaster asked him to choose between teaching English or math. He chose math because it seemed closer to his master's studies. He taught Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Analytic Geometry. He admitted he often stayed just a few pages ahead of his students!
After ten years of teaching, Father Wenninger felt he needed something new. His headmaster suggested he attend summer classes at Columbia Teachers College. He did this for four summers in the late 1950s. It was there that he became very interested in "New Math." This is also where his amazing studies of polyhedra began.
Father Wenninger passed away at the age of 97. He died at St. John's Abbey on February 17, 2017.
See also
- List of Wenninger polyhedron models
issue 02
- LAB Issue 02, June 2008
