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Family Interests Birding Archives Community Rogues' Gallery Signs of the Times Go Karts Around the World Reproductive Choice
Family Interests Birding Archives Community Rogues' Gallery Signs of the Times Go Karts Around the World Reproductive Choice
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Matthew Maverick Loper (named after Matthew the Apostle and after Maury Maverick, Jr. of San Antonio, Texas) was born on 24 March 1974 at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, New Jersey at 10:30 pm. He was ten pounds six ounces.
At the time of his birth, his father George Edward Loper was attending Columbia University School of Social Work in New York City and his mother, Ann Lewis Booker Loper , had recently been employed as a Clinical Psychologist at Children's Psychiatric Center in Eatontown, New Jersey.
The family was living in Matawan, New Jersey. Four months later, the family moved to Garden City South, New York, and a year afterwards to Charlottesville, Virginia.
There have been Mavericks as long as there has been a Texas. In 1836, "Samuel Maverick -- Maury Maverick, Jr.'s great grandfather - signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. The Texas pioneer also lent his name to the English language. One of the largest landowners in Texas, Maverick as an indifferent rancher who, contrary to custom, neglected to brand his longhorn cattle. That's a maverick, cowboys would say after stumbling across one of Maverick's unbranded animals. Soon, the label spread to human non-conformists as well" (David Uhler, San Antonio Express-News, June 20, 1999).
Maury Maverick, Sr. was one of the most prominent liberals in the New Deal era and "never hesitated to speak his mind, even if it meant butting heads with President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Maverick's career in Congress ended in 1938 after Roosevelt's son, Elliott, came to Texas and campaigned for Maverick's opponent in the Democratic primary. Maverick came home to San Antonio and was elected mayor. His political career was ruined, however, after he approved a permit for a Communist Party meeting at Municipal Auditorium" (David Uhler, San Antonio Express-News, June 20, 1999).
"Maury Jr. served in the Texas House of Represnetatives from 1950 to 1956, one of a handful of legislators who stood up to rampant McCarthyism. Sometimes the fith took a quirky turn, such as the time Maverick, counterina a resolution to invite Sen. Joseph McCarthy, D-Wis., to Texas, offered an amendment to ask Mickey Mouse instead. "I said, If we're going to invite a rat to visit our state, why not invite a good rat? " Maverick says" (David Uhler, San Antonio Express-News, June 20, 1999).
"Among the bills Maverick and his fellow liberals successfully killed was one that would have imposed the death penalty on convicted Communists. Maverick says bigots and racists in Texas used the "Red Scare" to bust the unions, bust blacks, bust Mexican-Americans and intimidate school teachers and librarians" (David Uhler, San Antonio Express-News, June 20, 1999).
Eventually, Maverick "quit politics in disgust and turned his life to monetarily unprofitable but personally fulfilling work of defending conscientious objectors [including Matthew Loper's father, George], suspected Communists and anyone else whose civil rights and liberties were in danger of being trampled" (David Uhler, San Antonio Express-News, June 20, 1999).
Pictured above is Maury Maverick, Jr. with baby Matthew Maverick Loper. Maury is now 78 years old and is a free-lance columnist for the San Antonio Express-News. Matthew is 25 years old.
Matthew entered the Tandem School in 1990. He graduated from the Tandem School on June 6, 1992, when Steve Hendrickson was still headmaster.
On Saturday, May 25, 1996 Matthew received his Degree of Bachelor of Arts from Connecticut College, graduating with commencement honors for his honors study and distinction in his major field (economics). Matt took a double major in economics and psychology and was also accepted into PSI CHI, the National Honor Society of Psychology.
Attendees at Matthew's graduation included our family, along with Dave Schiavi, Lauren Michell Half, the Highland Pipe Band, Tom Brokaw, and Hugs the Bear.
Matthew is interested in Musical Composition and Computer Programming. He is currently taking classes at the Harvard Extension School, and enjoys electronic music and coffee of all kinds. Ask him about LOG. Also about what he was doing with Quincy Jones.
Picture of the Month
Quincy Jones, Matthew Loper, and Tussi Kuttner -- 1998
