In those days I was terrible at athletics and never made a team, but quite easily led my class in academics.

- William Standish Knowles

At Harvard I majored in chemistry with a strong inclination toward math.

- William Standish Knowles

To my father, business was the highest calling, but to my mother, medicine was the top profession.

- William Standish Knowles

My family gave me the best in education.

- William Standish Knowles

My family background was heavily slanted toward business and seafaring matters.

- William Standish Knowles

I was particularly good at math and science.

- William Standish Knowles

I can't think of any relatives that ever went into science.

- William Standish Knowles

Later in the fifties I got involved in kinetic studies using my long forgotten math background.

- William Standish Knowles

I was born in Taunton, Massachusetts on June 1, 1917, but I actually grew up in nearby New Bedford.

- William Standish Knowles