William Smith honoured with National Order of Baobab

Who remembers William Smith?  Or should we say who doesn’t?  William Smith is known to South Africans as the math teacher on the Learning Channel back in the 1990’s, always with the picture of Featherbed Nature Reserve in Knysna as his backdrop.  Through his TV lessons William Smith made maths and science accessible to all learners for free, very much like YouTube does through the internet nowadays.

When William and his wife Jenny, who were both instrumental in putting Knysna on the Garden Route’s and therefore on the South African tourism map, sold their privately owned nature reserve, they stipulated it was to remain a nature reserve.  This was their way of making sure current and future generations will be able to enjoy this magnificent piece of natural beauty.

The Presidency tweeted earlier today:

The Order of the #Baobab is bestowed in SILVER on:

WILLIAM SMITH: For his superb contribution to the teaching and demystification of mathematics and science. Through TV, he made mathematics and science accessible even to the most marginalised in our society.#NationalOrders pic.twitter.com/I4lHqpBI9b

— PresidencyZA (@PresidencyZA) April 25, 2019

National Orders are the highest order South Africans can receive and is bestowed upon a South African citizen or member of the international community who has contributed towards making South Africa a democratic and successful country.  The Order of the Baobab recognizes those who have contributed to community service, business and economy, science, medicine and technological innovation.