This past March, Pierre Force, chair of Columbia’s French department, e-mailed the good news to Horlick’s children and the dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. “It’s a fine piece of work on an interesting topic,”wrote Force, who was on the committee that read Horlick’s dissertation. “Our recommendation to Dean Pinkham is that Max Horlick be retroactively granted a 1954 PhD.”
At long last
“When I heard the good news, I had two thoughts,” Horlick says. “First, I knew that my wife would be very happy about it. Second, I was angry with the professor who had withheld the degree back in 1954.”
On May 16, 2007, Horlick received his longawaited degree at Columbia University’s annual commencement ceremony.
“It was the most amazing ceremony I ever saw,” Horlick says. “After the ceremony, the dean apologized to me and my family and said that the university was rectifying an injustice.”
Since receiving his degree, Horlick continues to marvel at the number of people who have learned of his accom-plishment. “It’s been really wonderful, the reactions I’ve received,” Horlick says. “Even my dentist had heard, as well as cousins in California and Detroit. Former colleagues of mine in London, Brazil, and Germany have contacted me with their congratulations.”
Perhaps the most remarkable reaction came from a former girlfriend that Horlick admits he hadn’t heard from in 68 years. “She saw the story in Pennsylvania and wrote to me,” says Horlick. “Now we correspond regularly.”
Despite this new found fame, Horlick continues with his busy day-to-day schedule. He works part-time as an editor for IBIS and has recently published a book, The Pension Mountain, depicting the impact of an aging nation on social security.
He also practices tai chi with his wife, something they have both been doing for years. Horlick teaches a Spanish class at Riderwood, tends one of the community gardens, and plays an active role in the discussions group.
“My wife and I try to keep our activities to three or four a day,” he laughs.
With such a busy schedule, it’s easy to see why Horlick was unable to get back to his dissertation while at home with his family. But it also makes its overdue bestowal all the sweeter.