Peter Golden 10

September 8, 2003

Abstract

Peter Golden shares an anecdote about Max's heritage and belief in making good and doing good.
Credit: Mort Crim Communications

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It’s very important where Max comes from—Ohio particularly—because it was the center of early twentieth century progressivism. One of the facts that I find fascinating about Max is that in 1930 when he graduated from Ohio State—which of course he would have not have gone to, if he had not been from Ohio; he went partially on scholarship and worked his way through—one of the Wright brothers received an Honorary Degree. If you think about it, it was 1930 and the Wright brothers to some degree represent the kind of faith and belief in technology and in hard work, of making good and then doing good, and this absolute belief that technology had the power to overt war and all kinds of tragedy and sorrow. In fact, if you read the address that’s given by a Law Professor when Max graduates—the things that no one really listens to—but read it very carefully, you see this shining future that’s laid out. And yet, it’s during the Depression. And so that kind of optimism—you see some of that in Detroit with the industry that was here and the faith in the future—that kind of optimism is very dated. And I think as times have gone on and Max has gotten older it looks more and more unique, but it really is very much a part of his heritage.