Max Z. Conrad

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Obviously th is book would not have been possible wi thout all the co ntributi ons of alum ni from our program , and I'm sure that Max will be ever grateful for th e tim e you took to refl ect and participate. I thank Kalia Jarvis, Angela Harwood , and Soph ie Lott for all thei r effort s at collecting, organi zing, and layi ng out the materials of the book. Special than ks to Chris Flagg for the excellent artwork on the cover, Yaoyu Chen for com posing th e book in it s final form , and LSU President F. King Alexa nder for a last mi nute phot o shoot w ith Max to ensure he has a ph oto wi th the president at 50 yea rs of service. Finally, thank you Max for all you have done over the yea rs for th e School , the facult y, and most of all the st udents. I hope the memories shared in the following pages help you understand just how important you have been and how signifi ca nt you r im pact has been on so many lives.

Mark E. Boyer, FASLA Director & Robert Reic h Teaching Professor

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THUG}' -FIVE YEARS

foRl}' YEARS

Max Conrad

Max Conrad

2001

2006

foRl)' -FIVE YEARS Max Conrad

2011

flfl)' YEARS Max Conrad

2016

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2013 Jot D. Carpenter Teaching Medal Recipient

JOT D. CAR PEN-r:ER TEACHING MED

MAX

ZIIUIAO ~' Student Max took we to west coast trip last spring break. The trip was so amazing. Max took us to the most beautiful places and most delicious food 1

Graduation Year

2018 Degree

MLA

Graduation Year

1976 Degree

BLA Retired

I have 2 searing memories of Max. One is that on our east and west coast trips the only places he would let us eat at were Chinese restaurants. After 3 or 4 meals we became proficient ordering from colum n 1 or colum n 2. The second memory is of Max being one of my instructors in my first design class in the infamous ca nebrake room. The spring semester I got on a roll and getting A's from Wayne and Jon, but Max would only give me B's. Out of frustration I told him that if he gave me another B that I would name my next dog after him.

Next project there it was, a B. So, after graduati on, my next dog was named Max and my second dog was named Conrad. Great dogs, just as Max Con rad was/is a great instructor and even better person.

Thanks Max for the B's, my dogs appreciated their names.

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TlloMA~

(ToM) BMVFJ>IIY

Project Manager (retired 2013), National Park Service/Denver Service Center - 35 years

Graduation Year 1974 Degree BLA I have fond and vivid memories of Max and my classmates during the t wo class trips th at were made to th e East and West Coast. We had a great ti me visi tin g many prominen t LA offi ces, cool ti mes in the Grand Canyon, snow sledding th ru trees at night, staying in an historic cabi n in th e woods , swimming in the Pacifi c and riding on a Greyhound bus to Cali fornia .

Max is solely respo nsible for my 35 years with the National Park Service. Back before the internet, Max suggested that I should inquired with the NPS on job openings, saying th at they hired many Landscape Architects. They in fact have th e most LA's on staff than any other federal agency (or at least in th e top 5, not sure how t o check that fact... .). I do not recall how I fou nd ou t about the vaca ncy but I applied for a positi on with the Denver Service Center (the design/planning/const ruction park of th e NPS) in Lakewood Colorado. So in 1978 I received a call from a const ruction supervisor in Colorado who offered me a posi tion as a co nst ructi on inspector for a

project in Yellowstone National Park. I was working in New Orleans at th e ti me and moved out West and have been here ever since. The NPS was the best LA job th at I can th ink of for me and many others. I have worked in design, constructi on, project management, park management in over 50 National Parks nati onwide. Living in over 13 national parks/ monuments. Working and living in areas that most people only visi t on vacations once in a life ti me.

I credi t Max for his insight to job openings for me and I am sure many others. I enjoyed his laid back st yle as an instructor and vast knowledge of landscape architecture. It is hard to believe t hat he is sti ll teaching 1 111111 Good Luck Max in all of your f uture endeavors.

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MAIT MATHES ASLA

Graduation Year 1980 Degree BLA I met a hal f dozen of th e Chinese graduate students f rom Chengdu in May, 2013 as guest lecturer at the LSU Professional Practice Class.

The press release below from LSU from July, 2013 sums up all of his various roles all spu n together as a professor, alum ni organizer, tour guide and true ambassador of landscape architecture at LSU. I first met Max Conrad at the summer introduction event to landscape architecture like the kind sti ll offered today at Hilltop Arboret um Garden.

Max was also my neighbor for several yea rs on Ivanhoe Street in Baton Rouge while we we re all renting from Doc Reich. Max Con rad lived in the rental unit next door to Dave Bodker, ASLA 1976 through 1980.

Max is an outstanding approachable professor wi th a great sense of humor. His great quotes are numerous.

Max helped or directly lined up guest speakers at LSU including Pete Wal ker, ian McHarg, John 0. Simmonds, several SWA principals - th e gia nts in the profession.

Max enjoys sharing the New Orleans experience. With his guidance and help, I put together a New Orleans Tour Map (pocket size fold-out, of cou rse) with options for walki ng, driving or street ca r for the 1979 ASLA Ann ual Conference w hi le LSU Student Chapter ASLA President. Also for that same 1979 co nference, we co nvinced Ed Able, Exec Director of ASLA and numerous oth er doubters that th e Saturday night student event should feature a local band (includi ng drummer Kerry Blackmon, LSU Class of 1980) on the USS President paddlewheel steamboat at night. Despi te worst fears among many ahead of

th e event, the night ti me Mississippi riverboat cruise was a huge success nothing else qui te like it by ASLA Nati onal or by Louisiana Chapter ASLA since.

As an East Coaat and West Coast student trip tour guide, he also in troduced his st udents to Garrett Eckbo, plus the 3 oth er principals of EDAW, Robe rt Royston, Lawrence Halprin, Angela Danadeiva, Ed St one, Joe Porter, plus numerous oth er top landscape architects, planners and urban designers. His tours included a large hyd rodam under co nstruction, Yosemite, snow skii ng in Aspen, etc.

Max was one of the instructors at UNE Prep session organized on the LSU Campus in April or May, 1980. Seei ng several recent graduates travel back to this prep session was eye-opening. I passed the entire UNE on my first attempt 2 weeks right after graduatin g from LSU. Max inspired me to become a volu nteer instructor for LARE prep since 1996, and also an author on LARE Prep subject since 2005, to "give back".

Max is a tireless alumni networking advocat e, co nstantly making new introducti ons of students t o alums, and keeping alums co nnected, updated and net working for new opport unities in landscape architecture. I benefited di rectly from his role in th e LSU alumni network in South Florida, in the Pacifi c North west, in the desert Southwest for the past 36 yea rs since gradation.

It is in his role as RSRSLA alum ni networker extraordi naire and historian that I enjoy worki ng di rectly wi th Max every yea r since graduatin g in May, 1980.

Grad uati on Year

1986

fRAN OS(o JAVIER

Degree

MLA Landscape Architect, Landrys Landscape Sometimes in class when someone said someth ing a bit out of the scope of th e class Max used to call the attention of the culprit with 'Listen you ng man ... .'

Grad uati on Yea r

1997 Degree

BLA GIS Manager, City of Baton Rouge - Parish of East Baton Rouge

One of th e most im portant thoughts Max put in my mi nd as a st udent was in fou rth year Regional Design studio. At th e beginning of th e semester has asked the class to divide it self into leaders and followers. Everyo ne had to make th e determ ination by the next scheduled studio t o conti nue moving forward with th e assigned project. Someth ing clic ked in my mind at th is moment and I kn ew my choice would be a leader. It may not seem such a big deal, but for whatever reason th e questi on Max had asked really set in with me and made me th ink deeply abou t the kind of person I wa nted to be.

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Graduation Year

1981 Degree

BLA

District Landscape Architect, Texas Department of Transportation Max is th e champion of the "cool and calm ."

Max's genius, and special way with people, will always stand ou t with me. Although, I was always able to stir up a lot of frustration and aggravation in some of my professors, Max always showed a glimmer of hope and opti mism with me, in spi te of my incompetence as a student.

My favorite memory with Max is th e winter WEST COAST FIELD TRIP of the winter of 1972.

Max was an excellent chaperone and most excellent tour guide. He appointed me as chief cook for our stay in an off- season boy scout cam p and encouraged us all into a night of deathdefying sledding and a snow fi lled, hippie jam session wi th the pots and pans as percussion instruments.

MA~ PA~MER

/KE~~EY

DAP4AN

CEO, Dargan Landscape Architects

Max was a youngish professor w hen he met thi s w hirli ng dervish of a landscape architectural student... I entered the program 1979 and never looked back.

One thing I wis h I'd done was to go abroad with him because he always took such innovati ve trips t o t each abou t city planning and open our eyes to different ways of designing places for people by experiencing them . His classes received the benefits of his travels, boundless energy and enthusiasm about his subject.

I Count Max Conrad is being one of the few professors at Clemson w ho actively stayed in t ouch with me ... Sending students up to th e mountains of North Carolina or introducing me to members of the staff w ho we re bringing them . He's a very special co nd uit to 50 yea rs of st udents.

Th ank you Max for the 20:20 visio n you shared to Open the door for me into th e big broad world of landscape architecture. I love my niche bu t I'm able to take on projects of any size and complexit y as a result of thi s training.

Words can sca rcely express how much I appreciate your gifts as a professor.

Graduation Year

1981 Degree

MLA

Graduation Year 1978 Degree MLA In 1974 I was a recovering Marine, and entered LSU 's grad program under probation.

With a 2.8 GPA. My undergrad in Economics taught me another path. And it was Landscape Arc hitecture.

Doc took me in and I was his GA in 197 6 under his leadership.

hounded, and contin ued to learn.

LSU 's program is remarkable due to the likes of Doc and Max. I should know, I've recruited some great LA's from the likes of Harvard, Cornel, and Penn. State. These brilliant schools once taught us, and now we teach them. So be proud of that.

I always knew Max and th e rest of the facili ty t o be open, interested, progressive, and unabashed . And Max would always return a phone call.

Than k you all for your conti nued interest in excellence. And it shows.

And I have never known such a crew since the Marines.

Couldn't have done wi th out you.

Under th eir tutorage, I have prospered, taught,

Best I David Risinger I MLA Class of 1978.

A~AN

AND MARIANNE MVMfoRD President, Landscape Images

Grad uati on Yea r

1982 Degree

BLA

Our Max ..... Maxi millian, Maxi mus, Maxi miliano, and in any la nguage from arou nd the world; th is name from a Saintly origin in the 3rd Century, is synonymous with his li felong dedicati on to education, to all of w hom had the privilege to know "Our Max", especially in th e LSU comm unity. We have been blessed w ith his kindness to share and educa te for 5 decades of helping the students, alumni, and friends at LSU to further th eir knowledge and ca reers in Landscape Architecture.

The images that Ma rianne and I co ntinue to cherish the most are from the trips abroad with Max,

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since th e yea r 198 2, to all points unknown and known in th is world of landscape architect ure. I th ink everyo ne will agree, that his sense of humor and desire for discovery and explanation are a few of th e wo nderful characteristi cs we love about Max and those adventures.

In China, we turn arou nd in the YuYua n Gardens and he has assumed the position in the rou nd entry Moon Gate of the garden, reminiscent of th e Vit ruvian Man by arti st Leonardo da Vi nci's, no doubt making a statement of how ve ry proportionate the oriental passageways arel The other phot os represent

ou r favorite moments of trips abroad, where on his Birth day we would gath er everyone for a Surprise Theme Party to cele brate his Majesty in all his glory. Thi s is where he was in his element, going along with w hatever the group would co njure up.

W hether it was it a Headd ress theme in Vietn am or a Head of State assemb ly in Portugal , fun and adventure was always around the co rn er wherever you may end up, with th e Max Factor.

Ala n and Marian ne Mumford

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ANDRE P. NEff Principal , Andre' Neff & Associates

Grad uati on Year 1971 Degree BLA We were in Scotland at the first little town of five facing the North Sea. When we were about to leave Saint Monans by bus someone said, "Where are the Greiners." Max said we will give them a little more time before we leave. Time passed and there no sign off the two. Everybody tried to remember where they had last saw them. "I thought I saw them around the restaurant," someone said. Max left the bus to conduct a search. He came back empty. Max had previously told the group that all of the five small towns were connected by an oceanfront trail and that the distances were short.

"They will have to just walk to the next town," he said if they don't show up soon. Still no Greiners. Reluctantly, the bus finally left. Everybody was wondering what had happened to them and why they didn't tell anyone about there whereabouts. They will probably walk and be at the new town, or the next. You could see that Max was very concerned, but what could he do.

At the next town they were not there. Nor the next.

Concern grew. At the end of the line was Saint Andrews and they were not there either. Ok, we continued to rationalize , they must have somehow summoned a taxi, and went back to our base town of Dundee. Max seemed cool, but he wasn't. Finally, we pulled into the hotel yard at the hotel. Were they here7 Did they make it back ok7 Suddenly, Max saw the two at the hotel door. Greatly relieved, he asked them about their adventure. "What adventure?'', they said. "We decided to just hang around the hotel, when we over-slept this morning and missed the trip."

We were in Thailand and everything was going great.

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Tonight was a gala supper and many took naps before the festivities. The pavilion was well decorated, the table elaborately set, and everyone arrived fresh and wearing new clothes. There were smiles and handshakes and everyone had the sense of a "great evening." We sat down for the multi-course supper.

Max sat proudly at the center of a giant horse-shoe table. Tall drinks were served. Then the big, spicy dishes arrived. Everyone partook. It was just coming time for a toast. Suddenly, without warning or precedent, Max's face was down in his plate. He was out cold. What 1 our fearless, tireless leader was down for the count. There was grave concern, and a controlled panic. Only Max knew the transportation and financial details of the Asia trip. He had all the paperwork and plane tickets to Cambodia, and China. And home 1 What were we going to do if he was really sick7 Those next to him jumped to his aide. The Manager and servants rushed to his side. What was going on7 He was still unconscious, and our fears grew. It seemed like an eternity passed. His roommate rushed to his room so see if the had any prescriptions.

Then Max slowly came to. He smiled as if nothing had happened. "Must have been a bit faint," he said.

Everybody was relieved that Max was awake. Thank God 1 It must have been momentary exhaustion. He made some funny comment, and our inner panic subsided. He was ok 1 and at least we weren't going to have to take him to the hospital, and be delayed in some foreign land. The next morning Max came down for breakfast his usual self. He took a banana with him, and the trip continued without a hitch.

DENNI~ FEII~ER

Graduation Year

1977 Degree MLA

I received an email from the LSU LA School requesting "stories honoring Max Conrad" to be presented at the upcomi ng 2016 ASLA co nvention in New Orleans.

As you know, for fifty yea rs, no other individual [with th e excepti on of Doc himsel f] has done more to enhance the individual students education and advance the Landscape Program in general.

I tried to imagi ne what "single story" would be appropriate for the occasion.

Here is my best effort.

In 1983 I was accepted to the GSD. It was my third [a nd perh aps final applicati on].

At that time Harvard was a life changing, bucket list event.

I'm 35 years old .

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At some point during my first semester I made an appointment and visited wi th Professor Charles Harris [Professor Em erit us, 1958 - present]. As I entered his offi ce I could see that he was obviously busy and really didn't have tim e for "a visit."

I introduced myself and attempted some "small talk" all the w hile Professor Harris is th inking - "why are you here7 " Eventually I got t o the poi nt of my visit.

"I t is my understanding you were mentor to Max Conrad" I said.

Th e unspoken truth was I wa nted t o meet the man, who taught the man.

As I mentioned Max's name, Professor Harris stopped and looked direct ly at me.

"You know Max Conrad," he said [in disbelief]?

[Now we are gettin g somewhere I thought to myself].

"Yes, Max Conrad has been ve ry infl uential in my life and ca reer," I said . After a few other exchanges of how Max was doing, et c. I went on t o say someth ing humorous like "Max was good to me before it was popular" and I ended my speech wi th , "I don't know how I will ever repay Max's kindness."

Now Professor Harris looks start led and was obviously agi tated with me. No, he said. No, th at is defin itely w rong he said. [As he went on speaking] ti me passage changed momentarily. I kn ow he caught me looking at him as if he were crazy.

I spoke loudly and said: "so you' re sayi ng, it's a waste of ti me t o attempt to repay his kindness for helpi ng me all th ese yea rs'" Professor Harris said, "Defin itely Not." [Agai n, I'm th inking crazy-m an].

"That is not right - at all," he says. [now I'm dumfounded].

"Oh really;' I said.

Professor Harris si t s up, looks di rect ly at me and says: "Max has no expectati on li ke th at."

If anyth ing, w hat Max expects is for you t o hel p other people th e way he helped you .

Max Conrad - The West Coast Trip- 1976 [Agai n, a "tim e stopping, realization moment"].

Wow, I thought. I CAN do th at.

It was th e first [a nd I th ink best] of many lessons while at the GSD. Th e way t o honor Max is to "help oth ers the way he helped you ."

It is a sim ple, straight forwa rd, "acti on item," and someth ing we ca n all do everyday.

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I li ke to th ink that is what we do at LSU, and we "learn ed it" from Max Conrad .

Th ank you Chuck Harris for "steering me right," and th ank you Max Conrad for being my friend all th ese yea rs.

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Max Conrad -The West CoastTrip- 1976

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AYA MIYAKoDA BENNflT Founder, Keikan West, L.L.C.

Graduation Year

1977 Degree MLA

"Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of livi ng." - Miriam Beard Max took us to see all the amazing places in the wor ld.

West coast, East coast, Canada, Japan, India, Thailand, Cambodia ... Max t aught us th e joy of traveling, seeing and experiencing th e world w ith our own eyes and bodies.

They are th e treasure of my li fe.

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Graduation Year

1979

PAlRI(K MooRE Senior Partner, Sustainability Planning

Degree

BLA

Struggling late one morn ing t o "put the pieces all together" of th e famed LSU design process, Max ca me by and criti qued my design model. He very eloquently suggested that I th ink through all the "pieces and choreograph th em for a sequence of exposu re and enjoyment by the users." Having a clea r understanding th at most people ca n see "th e pieces", but that my t alent as a landscape architect was th e abili ty t o present th e overall visio n, or "top of the puzz le-box" was and has been a li fe-changing lesson that Max likely does not know he has made. I use th is understanding sti ll today to advise our Fortune 500 clients in developing holisti c strategies t o better lighten their footprints on ou r earth and create envi ronmental and social value for comm uniti es with in th eir reach.

REE(E RPARKER Principal, Breedlove Land Planning, Inc.

Graduation Year

1993 Degree

BLA

As a freshman at LSU, with ou t knowi ng w hat I wa nted t o be w hen I grew up, I was fortunate to enroll in Max Conrad's introduction to Landscape Architecture class, w hich Max taught in th e main auditoriu m, on the nrst fl oor of the College of Design building. There must have been more than a hundred students in th at class. Max introduced Landscape Architecture t o his st udents wi th so much professionalism and enthusiasm, and in such a way that it made me feel li ke I was a child visitin g Disney World for th e nrst ti me. I would look up at the cloc k and I would be disappointed w hen there was only 5 minutes left. I could not wait for th e next class t o begin so Max's story could resume. Th is class co nvi nced me that Landsca pe Architecture is for me and I've been studying and practi ci ng it ever since.

In 1992 Max and Bruce Sharky led the class t o the west coast for the annual neld trip. Max had some serious walki ng shoes and he did not slow down. Max's wal king speed said t o me "there is not enough ti me to see and experience everyth ing, but let 's give it our best shot ".

We practi cally ran to keep up with Max, sometim es failing t o do so. Max's sincere love of the profession and his dedication to sharing it with his st udents has left an indelible mark on me.

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JACoB WA~Sl>oRf St ory of Max Conrad's dedicati on to making sure all LS U Landscape Arc hit ecture st udents get a job following graduation.

Max Conrad has an unmatched passion and willi ngness to help students get a job followi ng graduation and for many years following. I have fond memories checking in with Max on a regula r basis about current job openings where he would direct me to th e job posting boa rd out side his offi ce. After I graduated and was in a position t o hire landscape architects I would ask Max to post the position on his board . I fel t a life circle had been completed.

Graduation Year

1986 Degree

MLA

Anoth er st ory: Max is the fastest wal ker I kn ow. During our West Coast trip, a few of us students made it a challenge t o see if we could "outwal k" Max during site visit s. We all failed .. He was th e fittest professor I knew.

Graduation Year

2004 Associate, MRWM Landscape Architects

Degree I have several fond memories of Max. Hearing him say "don't worry abou t it , we'll put it on you r fee bill" on a regular basis and in his distinctive accent. Also, without fail , if I walked ou t of the Chimes late at night Max would be passing by on his way home. He would lock eyes with me and inquire "what are you doing, all of your classmates are in studio", never brea king his impressive pace or divertin g from his well worn path. He wasn't really asking or expecting a re ply. I kid you not , it happened every ti me. I doubt I was the fi rst, and likely not th e last, but I was left behind on a West Coast fi eld trip. It was in San Francisco's Chinat own over lunch.

Melissa Ru th and I had been visiting cu rio shops, taki ng phot os and absorbing all of the sights and sounds. We were so enamored with th e neighborhood we decided t o grab a "quick" meal at an au thentic Chinese restaurant. All was well unti l it was ti me to pay th e bill and the entire staff disappeared . Our enjoyment turn ed t o fea r as the mi nut es ti cked by. Max had wa rn ed us repeatedly we would be left behind if we missed the rendezvous. He wasn't kidding. After a few desperate ph one calls to classmat es, we were able to jog several blocks to the next stop.

Th ank goodness th is was in the era of cell phones. I have no doubt he would have left us no matter what th e ci rcumstances were. Even if th e bus was headed to Lake Tahoe.

BLA

My favori te memories may be th e humorous ones, but my lasting im pression of Max is of th e inexhaustib le energy he dedicated to the school and his students. Thanks for everyth ing.

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JAME~ (JIM) Founding Principal , Townscape, Inc.

Graduati on Year

1978 Degree

BLA

Not many in the world are well known internationally by one name--Cher, Fabio, Madonna --but those of us who have traveled much of the world with Professor Conrad know that he has been in that company for some time . A typical example was on arriving with alumni in the Madrid airport in Summer 2004. Milling around looking for our ground transportation, we spotted a tall gentleman in a suit and sunglasses, standing at attention with a large, hand-lettered sign : "Grupo MAXI " And this became the unofficial moniker for the alumni travelers from that day forward .

Caption : Every other summer, on the alumni tours that Max leads, the group throws Max a party on (or near) his birthday, June 22 . Max likes to say "I only get birthday parties every other yearl " One of the traditions of that party is that I compose an "epic poem" as a gift to Max that mentions many of the sights and experiences from that trip . One of my favorites is from our 3-week tour of Asia in 2006, attached here (I was afraid what submitting it in the online form would do to the formatting). Enjoy. Anyone who knows the signincance of "Zephirin" in the title gets extra credit.

ZEPHIRIN CELEBRATION A poem on the occasion of Professor Max Conrad's 67th birthday in Suzhou, China

I walked into a Nanjing bar With cutthroats, hustlers, movie stars.

And sat down at a co rn er spot With a pirate and an astronau t.

They spun their high adventure tales, Then t urned to me, and I said, "Well, "I walked the halls the shogun walked, With walls of stone and fl oors that talked.

A Shinto priest taught me to see A universe in stone and tree .

I glided fast by long-tailed boat Past caves and villages that fl oat.

I saw th e misty mountains rise Like river ghosts through hazy skies.

"I climbed the steps of Angkor Wat, And man, that sumfabitch is hotl I rode an elepha nt in Siam ; That's just the kind of guy I am .

I climbed the Great Wall at Badaling, And drank a beer to toast the King.

Saw Chinese gi rls with scarlet ribbons, And made my picture with a gibbon.

"I mastered street and market trade And bartered well for sil k and jade.

I've eaten rare, exotic fruit; Been win ked at by a prostitute.

I snorkeled with the barracuda, And smiled back at the smiling Buddha.

"I traveled with arti st s, twenty-odd, Wise teachers, and a skateboard god.

We rode a red dragon to Shanghai , W here gleaming spear ti ps pierce the sky."

"Now wait," my new companions said, "You r tale's too tall; you should be dead I No one can see the things you've seen,

Max at Summer Palace, Beiji ng, 2006 by Richards And lived t o t ell th e tale, I mean."

I said, "The words you've heard are f acts.

It 's no big deal; I just know Max." A knowing smile ran through the room; The band struck up a birthday tune.

We raised our glasses, slapped our backs, And t oasted our great Sensei Max. So think about the th ings you've seen At Phang Nga Bay and Badaling.

Grad sc hool, Masters, Ph Ds, Are well and good, it seems t o me, But I'll load my camera, pens and packs For learning round the world wi th Max.

James Ric hards, ASLA 22 June 2006 Suzhou, China

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Jim Richards sketch of alumni tour bus, 2004: Max Group

~~AN J (FJ/ME Landscape Designer, MESA Design Group

Graduation Year

2015 Degree

BLA

I didn't take Max's class w hile I was at LSU but I was lucky enough t o travel with him . Max took my class to th e Big App le, in Fall of 20 13. We made memories as a class that I will never forget. One ti me in particular is that much easier to recall because of how often Max reminded me of that miserable morn ing in Central Park. We Spent our Sat urday morn ing at the 9/ 11 memorial and the rest of th e day was wide open because th e Tigers played Florida that afternoon. The game went as expected as we watched our Tigers wi n from th e great est LSU bar I have ever wi tnessed . Legends Bar at th e foot of the Em pi re State Buildi ng. Some of my class mat es and I never slowed pace after our victory and continued drinking/ celebratin g deep into th e night. Ou r 7 am wake up and morn ing in Central Park was a sight for sore eyes. Max was glowing wi th exci tement as he led the mob of students through th e cit y and into Central Park. Although we might not have fel t up t o doi ng anyth ing that morn ing everyo ne was accounted for and more than likely had a hangover.

As we entered the park and the sun started rising over head I could feel a cold sweat startin g and nausea peering through my hazy recollecti on of that brisk morn ing in Central Park. I do remember we we re in a form al ga rden and a group of us we re gath ered around Max. Some st udents were seated on perimeter benches and scattered amongst th e garden. I was not speaking direct ly to Max when I started feeling sick, but his eyes were on me for some particula r reason.

Almost seemed as if we locked eyes before vo mit spewed from every orifi ce in my face and grabbed th e attention

of everyone near me. I was bent over in a planter bed that was close to th e gro up w hen Max approached me. He told me to go clea n up at the restroom we had just passed and to get some water. All of th is taking place w hile my classmat es were snickering and staring in disbelief. I wasn't really that embarrassed at the ti me co nsidering everyo ne on the trip knew how much I drank the day before accept Max. W hen we returned t o Baton Rouge Max Conrad knew my name for ce rtai n, whether he knew it w hen we left I have no idea.

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Grad uati on Year

1999

ITEfAN PIIARIS

Principal/Owner, Pharis Design Inc.

Degree

How ca n one remember Max and not tal k about a trip 7 Our yea r was th e west coast t rip. Flew into Phoenix, bus t o Los Angeles (Riverside), day t rip LA, San Fran, Yosemite, Ma mmoth, Death Valley, Vegas 1, Grand Canyo n (I th ink) and then back t o Phoenix ... whoa what a blur.

BLA

I have a particular memory of Max's ability t o sleep on th e bus at the drop a of a hat. No pillow, no headrest , no recli ning. He always seem to have a banana handy. His abilit y to turn these power naps and snacks into a fre nzied cele brati on of place, will always amaze me. I get ti red doing homework with my kids, yet he manages to inspire generations of students1 Kudos to you Max Conrad . Now how do go abou t getti ng that energy level back7

~oRJ

Grad uati on Yea r

YMARINoVI(II

Assistant Director of Planning/Ex Director Lakefront Downtown Development, City of Lake Charles Ra ndom words about MAX His wal k - head down, forward and you have to run a litt le to keep up .. try that in NYC or Bost on, or BR ..

His compassion -- Got a problem, like a big problem7 th en MAX will hel p you see th rough t o th e light, find you a place t o live, remind you of th e deadline looming, whatever it took t o get you back on track .

MAX and his bike I do remember how crushed I was w hen I found out MAX was crushed in a bike accident.. He sti ll showed up and had his big MAX smile.

MAX is just a really great guyl

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1988 Degree

BLA

Graduation Year St ory of Max Conrad's dedicati on to making sure all LS U Landscape Arc hit ecture st udents get a job following graduation.

Max Conrad has an unmatched passion and willi ngness to help students get a job followi ng graduation and for many years following. I have fond memories checking in with Max on a regula r basis about current job openings where he would direct me to th e job posting board out side his offi ce. After I graduated and was in a posi tion to hire landscape architects I would ask Max to post the posi tion on his board . I felt a life circle had been com pleted.

1963 Degree Master of

Education

Another story: Max is the fastest wal ker I kn ow. During our West Coast trip, a few of us students made it a challenge t o see if we could "outwal k" Max during site visits. We all failed .. He was th e fittest professor I knew.

Graduation Year

1980 Degree

BLA

Owner/Landscape Architect, Dill Design Works

So me of t he fondest were w hen I was wo rking at Mo ri Design in Japan f ro m 199 11997 and met Max and th e stud ents w ho were th ere for a se mest er-l ong intern ship.

LSU alumn i and stud ents wo uld meet, reun it e and visit t he landscape architecture sc hool at Chiba Unive rsity and socia lize at an lza kaya (like a tapas ba r). To Max's left is Prof. Shimoya ma, w ho was a visi tin g professo r at LSU in th e late 70's and to Max's right is Prof. Ma ruta, w ho was a classmate of Max at LSU. Sta nd ing in f ro nt of me is Prof. Seishiro Tomio ka w ho helped sta rt the LSU in Japa n program and was livi ng in Japan at the ti me. I always enjoyed showi ng Max and th e stud ents my insider's t our of Tokyo, how t o navigate t he trai ns and subways, esse ntial phrases, and w here to get th e best prices for food, drinks, and pa rtyi ngl (p hot o thanks t o Jaso n Land rem, in w hite polo shirt)

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(IIRiffiNE MARJE JofiN~oN Associate, Four & One

Graduation Year

2014 Degree

BLA

Max is dependable-- you can always lind him on a late night or weekend worki ng at the light table. Glad I wasn't the only one working hardl

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Graduati on Year

1972 Degree

Retired Faculty

BV(K ABBEY

Principal , Abbey Investment Company

Dear Friend Max You we re th e first faculty member I met when I came t o t each at LSU in the 1970's.

Do you remember w hat you told me w hen we were at Harvard7 You said "if I ca me to teach at LSU I would like the culture very much". At the tim e, I believed you were mentioning for my benefit the cul ture of Louisiana w hich at th e tim e was ve ry appealing to someone from th e inland great lakes State of Michiga n. It was later I found out you were speaking of the culture of the School of Landscape Architecture.

Doctor Reich, Dan Earle and you shaped up the unique cul ture of the landsca pe architecture program of LSU many yea rs ago. It has been special , not only for me but for th e st udents we taught over th e many decades I stayed and worked wi th you and th e other fine professors.

You we re very much the cult ure ca rrie r w hom over the yea rs who reminded everyo ne that excellence in design, planting design, hist ory, drawi ng and landscape co nst ruction is at th e heart of the profession. It was th e cul ture of th e program that promoted LSU t o the top of landscape architecture programs in the cou ntry over th e last 10 years of my teaching career.

But you , more than oth ers, exemp li fi ed the cul ture of excell ence. You are so appreciated for you r many years of service, your wisdo m and energy in making th e program the very best it could be. Before you go, I hope you will pass our unique cul ture on to th ose w ho will remain on the facult y to guide the students into our wonderful profe ssion. It is the culture of the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture that is one of the most important trait s our st udents will ca rry forwa rd into thei r ca reers. Another word for excellence is MAX. God Bless You. Buck Abbey, AS LA Louisiana State Un iversi ty (1974-2013) Abbey Associates, Inc.

Gradu ati on Yea r

1988 Doug Byerly Forest Recreation Program Manager/Landscape Architect, USDA Forest Service - Cherokee National Forest

Degree

BLA

Just to put mysel f in Max's 50 -yea r time li ne, Max & I used th e cutting edge Hype rCard program for Macintosh compu ters t o create exams for his introdu ctory cou rse. Max, I turn ed 50 yea rs old th is yea r, so I'm amazed by you r length of servicel Congrat ulati ons!

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ANDRSWJAMESDV~~AN President, Landscape Images

Graduation Year

1998 Degree

BLA

Max knows every backdoor noodle shop in Asia and beyond. On our 3-week odyssey we left a classmate in Thailand who lost his passport and we almost got an exchange st udent sliced in half between a cigar boat water t axi and the dock - luckily th e deck hand caught her before falli ng in the river. We also got th e bus st uck in the lawn at the Dewey Donnell residence on the west coast trip.

Making the rou nds of alumni in di fferent ci ties around the world remains a highlight of my ti me at LSU and in life.

Max - th anks for everyth ing and all the best for conti nued success.

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Graduation Year

1993 Amo ng all of the educat ors through graduate school in my life, Max was the greatest t eacher I've ever had. His dedication to teaching is unequaled because it extended well beyond the classroom . I had the privilege of traveling with Max on two trips, both of w hich involved an insane amount of walking. The first was the West Coast trip in the spring in 1992 w here I distinct ly recall him leadi ng us through the wa rrens of Chinatown into a nondescript restaurant where , as a you ng lad from Florida, I was introduced to exotic dishes. I always th ink of Max when eating bok choy. I can sti ll hear him saying "tryyyy it, you might liiike it:' Even more memorable was the trip to East Asia later that year w here he deposited me and four classmat es in Tokyo for a semester. Prior to arriving in Tokyo we visited Singapore, Johor Bahru, and Hong Ko ng. My journal entry from August 14, 1992, the day we visi ted Macau: "after a lunch of galinha marengo, we strolled through th e market, enticed by exoti c fi sh and eel salesman, besieged by the odor of freshly slaughtered chicken and rotting vegetables. Th e group splintered. Max and I meander aimlessly, letting our instincts guide us through back alleys and street s fi lled wi th antique shops and locals wieldi ng primitive t ools making things from woks to leather shoes. It is very hot and the su n is unbearable unless we're strolli ng under the colo nial arcades. Max, because of experience, picks more interesting directi ons than I do, while I'm innocently fascinated and distracted by all the new stim ulus." Courtesy of Max Conrad, I had an amazing educati on and unforgettable travels. Thank you, Maxi

Degree

BLA

Graduation Year

1994 Degree

Design Technology Specialist, CallisonRTKL

BLA Field trips with Max leadi ng the way we re amazing. I remem ber how we ll organized , inexpensive, and experientiall y ri ch they we re, and that was pre-Internet w hich is just a phenomenal acco mplishment. My travel style is now based on his except I have the Internet to help me almost accomplish w hat he ca n. Although my travels are not quite as light and cheap as Max's as I don 't wash my socks and stuff in the hote l/ hostel bathroom si nk as I remember him doing.

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Landlord and Investments, Retired from Gabriel Building Supply Co, Inc

Grad uati on Yea r

1982 Degree

BLA

ROAD T RIP 1 Favorite "Max Memory", West Coast Trip 198 1 with Max and Doc. Starting our bus trip from the Old Fi eld House makin g a large loop to San Antonio, San Diego up t o San Francisco arou nd t o Aspen and back to LS U, wi th many st ops in bet wee n. Under peer pressure, I was co nvi nced t o go snow skii ng in Aspen w hile we were supposed to have been at a lecture. Never skied before, it sounded like an adventure (how hard could it be) unti l the ya hoos

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I was with got me to the top of th e mountain and left me there I It was no secret or hidi ng the fact that we were somewhere we we ren't supposed to be when I came back down with a BIG black eye, t um bli ng down th e steepest Black Diamond, geez, I couldn't even see the bottom 1 But hey, the view f rom th e t op of the mou ntai n is beautiful. Th ank you Max for your guida nce all these years and showi ng us how t o have a good ti me in life t oo.

Principal, Terry Lewis, Landscape Architects

Graduation Year

1978 Degree

BLA

Max is amazing 1 As a student I learned about design, beau ty and art from Professor Max. These impressions have lasted a lifetim e.

I especially enjoyed the student landscape archit ecture neld trips th at he organized and led .

Max is defin itely skilled at herding cat s1 He was th en and he sti ll is now. I was always lagging behind th e group t aking photos and Max would yell ou t "let's go". I knew th at was a wa rn ing th at I was in danger of being left behind I I would hurry t o catch up w ith th e grou p. Th is scenario was repeated over and over.

Max introduced our student group to many great designers that

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we re very inspiring. We also saw wo nderful landscape architectural projects, impressive archit ecture, beautiful art and many areas of nat ural beaut y. Max opened my eyes and mind to th e world .

My relati onship with Max did not end at graduation. That was just th e beginning of a dear friendship.

My w ife and I have been part of an alumn i grou p that has been traveling the world wi th Max. Max has become "our great leader" 1 We have been t o many cou ntries with Max and our traveling friends. Our travels have focused on design, history and culture w ith Max organizing every aspect of th e trips. His love for travel has been a big infl uence on our lives.

-.

We have caught the travel bug from Max and are now addi cted to traveli ng. We are always planning ou r next trip.

Agai n, I have to say th at Max is amazing 1 He has dedicated his life t o his students, his family and his many friends. We are all blessed t o have him in our livesl Thank you Maxi

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Damon with wife Deena and youngest daughter at Senior Day in high school2016

Graduati on Year

1986 Degree

BLA Max Conrad is one of my favorite Professors. He lead our east coast trip in 1983. I forgot my ski jacket and had to wea r my overcoat for the entire trip. W hen we passed Macy's in New York City, Max saw my overcoat on a mannequin in the window. He affectionately referred t o it as the "Damon". He also saved me in my fourth yea r. I was burnt out on school and was thinking about swi tching cu rriculum, so Max had a co nversation with by parents without my kn owledge. Then invited me into his offi ce. He listened to my issues and advised me. That meeting became a huge dot on my path of life. Three semesters later, I graduated wi th my BLA (1986) and have had a beautiful and successf ul ca reer ever since. Th anks, Maxi

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AJ. "TEFJQ' IToNE

Graduation Year

Stone Landscape Architects

1994

In additi on to TA'ing Max's Landscape Arc hitecture 101 class for a yea r, I have incredibly fond memories of the West Coast trip he led over spring brea k ci rca 1993 . I recall th at we started and fin ished in Phoenix, and had the most im plausible bus itinerary all around Californ ia in between. The landscape architects to w hom Max introduced us, includi ng Peter Walker, Martha Schwa rz, etc., and th e num ber of incredible sites we visited, both nat ural and built , were astounding. To th is day I marvel at all the th ings we accomplished on th at trip, and how it truly opened my eyes to the opport unities open to me as a f ut ure landscape architect. And of cou rse I also remember that Max walked twice as fast than any of his 20-yea r-old students.

Degree

MLA

Max himself is a wo nder, and I feel privileged and awed t o have learned from him while at LS U. Congratulations, Max, on an incredible journey and on bestowi ng you r gifts on so many minds you ng and old I

Graduation Year

2007 Degree

SAMII TAY~oR BRYANT Realtor, Austin TX

BLA So many memori es, but one I always think of...W hen we we re visiting th e Donn ell Gard en, th e t our bu s co uldn 't make it up the very long, st ee p and curvy driveway.

We were all stru ggling to get up th e st eep incline w hen I loo ked ahead of us. Max was about 100 ya rd s in front of eve ryo ne, stridin g like a gazell e. Not even short of breath . It was al ways a chall enge t o keep up w ith him on his neld trip s, but w hat a t our guid e he was l

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ADAM Ml(IIAE~ DVP~ANliER Assistant Landscape Architect Project Manager, The Hanover Company

Grad uati on Yea r

2010 Degree

BLA

During th e spring of 2010 , Max Conrad along with a ragtag bunch of LSU landsca pe architecture students embarked on a journ ey that spanned hundreds of miles along th e Brazilian coast line. W ith th e worldly and travel savvy Max at th e he lm of the t rip, we visi ted some of Burle Marx's most awe inspiring parks and gardens. The historic towns of the Brazilian coast we re wondrous, and th e diverse ci ty of Rio was beautifu I. The colo nial city of Paraty and it s pristine beaches were unlike anyth ing we had ever seen. Th e experience that we shared as travelers and learn ers was truly unforgettable. It was also on th is trip that I saw how funny and down to earth M r. Conrad

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ca n be. We sat on the porch of a lively host el , drank some beer, chewed tobacco, and talked abou t life. That moment, without a doubt, is my favorite Max memory. A man whose generous spirit and passion for teaching made the LSU Landscape Archit ecture program a truly special experience. Thanks for the memories Max.

Graduation Year

1981

Principal/Owner, Rosier Design Studio

Degree

BLA

Max, w here does one st art t o express heartfelt THANKS for your relentless dedication and sacrifi ces you offered the LS U School of Landscape Architecture. In 1979, our class was one of th e last classes t o travel on the East and West coast by bus. W hat a wo nderful memory of traveling coast to coast with Max and Doc "at the helm of th e bus". The bus would drive up and the doors would open and off Max would go ..... at th e speed of a professional walker. It was always hard to keep up with him but he was always so knowledgeable and joyful in hi s explanations. We had just a great tim e traveling th rough the deserts, urban areas, national parks, sketchy part s of Sa n Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroi t, Toronto just t o name a few.

TH ANKS MAX FOR ALL YO U HAV E GIVEN AND ALL O F W HO YO U AR E11111 Many blessings to you.

Graduation Year

1968 Principal Emeritus, RVI Planning and Landscape Architecture

Degree

BLA

How tim e passes w hen you are having f un......... the spring of 1968 was just a few yea rs ago for me, and now I was told that one of our best educat ors in th e LS U Family has been doi ng th is for over 50 yea rs1 W hat a great caree r he has had in sharing and advanci ng th e caree rs of so many successf ul landscape architects. Max has always appeared t o really love th e profession and always went a st ep f urth er t o advance our ca reers during our st ay in Baton Rouge.

I have had many fond memories here in Dallas, w hen meeting Max and Doc's tour bus of students and joining them in seei ng th e la test la ndscape architectural projects in the D/FW area. Th is was the 1st usual stop for all t ou rs westwa rd. It was not necessarily w hat projects we saw or t ou red, but how the group discussed va rious issues, trends and obse rvations on how t o advance and im prove w hat we dol Max (like us) has always followed Doc's Basic Premise of treating the profession of landscape architect ure... like a religion. "I t is not necessarily w hat you say, but w hat you do that will make a di fference."

Congrat ulati ons Max, on a nne career ..... you are admired .

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PJ(IIARD IIYME~ Principal, Ferris land design, LLC

Graduation Year

1992 Degree

BLA

Peanut butter sam iches on th e bus trips.

I found th is phot o we did from th e class of 1992 on our last day of class. max is on the left in the back.

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ZANE KBVSBEE Associate, SWA Group

Grad uati on Year

2011 Degree

BLA

My favorite memories of Max are all of th em. Since my graduation in the spring of 2011 I often th ink of Max w hen I am t raveli ng to th e other side of the world to make a si te visit or prese ntati on to a clie nt. Max's encou ragement t o step ou t of my comfort zone and take a spring intern ship in Beijing, China during 2010 made one is the most signifi ca nt im pacts on my life. Th is experience was th e begi nning of my great appreciation for the diversity of cult ures around th e world and their understanding of what la ndscape architecture is. I truly love my job and sometim es when fri ends and family ask how I have gotten t o w here I am today, I credit Max and a number of other professors at LSU. Max, your enthusiasm for landscape architecture and the students at LSU has im pacted more lives than you ca n imagine. Every student, intern , alu mni, and practi ci ng professional from LSU that I have ever had the opportunity t o connect with always has a great Max memory to share. Those memories often include you r can ny abili ty t o out wal k entire grou ps of st udents in their t wenties on the amazing t rips you so graciously hosted over holiday brea ks. Max your ti me at LSU will never be forgotten and the effort you give day in and day out ca nnot be credited enough. There are hundreds, if not thousands of people around the world in landscape archit ecture th at you have impacted in such a positive manner, including mysel f.

Thank you Max, you are truly an inspiration t o many. The Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture would not be w hat it is today with ou t you .

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NATA~IE Grad uati on Year

1984 Degree

BLA

ANNE C,AIDRY

DE ANC,E~IS

Artist

In 198 1, Max took a group of us t o Japan, Hong Ko ng, Hawaii, Seatt le and then Portland. It was the most amazing trip. Everyone was usi ng up th eir rolls of fi lm fast.

Max was ve ry patient as I sketched garden after ga rden in my special sketchbook. Bu t, by the ti me we got t o Halprin's fountai ns over the freeway, we had been traveling for a litt le over two weeks. Everyo ne was exhausted beyond belief. And Max had gotten over-exposed to my slow but fast sketching. As I sketched the man-made "rocks" of the fountain s, Max got mad because I had been holdi ng us up as I had been sketching garden after garden during the trip. He th reatened to leave me there 1 I cried , and Dr. Reich t old me not t o worry because Max loved me.

Well, that was my last sketch on the tri p 1 I dared not t o sketch again. So I didn't. I really wasn't too concerned abou t holding up th e grou p. I just did n't wa nt Max t o leave me there or get mad again because he had been unbelievably forgiving of me. Si nce then I haven't been on a trip with Max. But I certain ly wouldn't mind testing Max's patience again. I'll bri ng a came ra just in case.

Gradu ati on Yea r

2001 Landscape Architect, Torre Design Consortium

Many LSU Alu mni had the opportunity t o t ravel th e world th anks t o Max Conrad. I was lucky to do both th e West Coast Field Study and work abroad in Japan in 2000. Most of my memories ir:¡m!ve tr yinf' t ':' '<eep up wiâ&#x20AC;˘h Mar. ac: his pace left us in th e dust. W hile bemoaning it at the tim e, we all knew Max's feverish pace was born out of his passion for landscape architecture and for travel. W hile travelli ng Asia, we spent several days in Thailand. On our last night in Bangkok, Tamara Orozco, Chip Mills, Susie Kilpatrick, Elliott Doerle and myself all we nt out and had a late night of hard partyi ng. Layi ng in bed th e next morn ing, hoping to sleep it off, I reluctantly opened my eyes to a front row view of Max doing his morn ing stretches in noth ing bu t his w hitey-tighties. I rolled over prayi ng for more sleep, but Max had none of it.

He had us all out th e door by 9 am, because we could n't leave Ba ngkok without visiti ng the giant open air market. Head throbbing, a nauseous train ride t o the market was worsened by the exoti c smells emanating from food vendors. The hangovers were just wea ring off when we boarded the plane th at aftern oon to Siem Rea p, Cambodia, for w hat would be one of the most memorable travel experiences of my li fe. We we re th e first LS U group t o visit Cam bodia, and I'll be forever indebted t o Max for that opportunit y.

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Degree

BLA

~VIZ

SERC,Io SANTANA Grad uati on Year 1976 Degree BLA

I would like to write a few words abou t Professor Max Conrad, or simply "Max". Among many memories, I would like to point out three different occasions in which Max made an everlastin g impact on my li fe.

I arrived at LSU, as a 17 yea rs old you ngster from Brazil , with very litt le kn owledge of En glish. Dr. Reic h graciously adopted me at th e LS U program . Alter a few months, I found myself livi ng next door t o Max's apartm ent at Ivanhoe St. Dr. Reich gave me a "wok"as Christm as gift. I had no idea w hat t o do w ith it. But my neighbor, Max Conrad invited me to di nner at his apartment and patiently taught me to coo k usi ng th e Wo k ( a habit I have ever since). At th at t ome I only knew that Max had a blue VW bug and a rusty bike with huge tires th at he used t o get around th e Campus.

I never knew of his culi nary talents, as he showed me to prepare a del icious meal. Bu t th e most amazing im pression I had, as I entered his apartment, was to lind a clay model of Halprin's Lovejoy fou ntain, a work in progress. As a 17 yea rs old, that was one of the most amazing and interesting th ings I've ever seen. A Wok and The Lovejoy Fou ntai n in one placel Th e next episode is called "Th e Blue Bott le in Brazil". A few yea rs later, Dr. Reich, Max and Bill Reic h ( my class mat e) t ravelled t o Brazil and since I was living in Dallas< I

arranged for them t o stay at my parents house in Sao Paulo.

My parents were not fl uent in English. Before the t rip, I advised th e group not to drink water from the faucet s, but only drink mineral water found normally in blue bott les .

One night Max got th irst y and went to th e kitchen to lind a blue bott le and drank it l To his su rprise, and t o my parents' terror, th e blue bott le was fi lled w ith Chlorine Bleach and Max drank it lll At the middle of the night, my fath er, clueless in English, drove Max to a nearby hospital t o nx Max. I th ink he sti ll has "memories" of that and has chills when he sees blue plastic bott les.

To fin ali ze, I would li ke to remember one of Max favorites places; it's called "Churrascarias", th e Brazillian Bar B Que places, normally a "all you ca n eat " restaurant. Other th an making sure he is served all of the 14 types of meat adverti sed , Max eager wai t s for the wa iters' arrival "clappi ng" th e met al pi nchers , makin g sure he attract s the wa iters attenti on to not miss his turn. Th e wai ters look ah him in awe, but as everyth ing in Max's life , it worksI I could co ntinue for ever, but I would like t o fin ish with th is summary: Dr. Reic h showed me and presented me Landscape Archit ecture.

Max Conrad, showed and presented me Th e World I with no bou ndaries! Th ank you Max 1

KEITII

B~EI(IINER

Graduation Year 1976 Degree BLA UNA NOCHE EN EL VALLE DE LA M UERTE CON EL DIABLO My recollections of the West Coast Trip during th e wi nter break at the beginning of 197 5 are somewhat hazy after 41 yea rs. But I will never forget th e night spent in Death Valley (the place in Californ ia, not the LSU football stadium).

Leaving Arizona, at least half of the students on the bus tried to co nvi nce Max t o detour t o Las Vegas instead of going to Death Valley. As if Max would ever veer from the mimeographed itinerary (unless it meant savi ng a few dollars). Stalwart Max and th e bus stayed the cou rse and we eventually arrived at ou r destinati on.

The dunes we re quite impressive - ti lted plai ns of sand, rippled shadow pattern s, intense blue sky, bri ght su n.

Ve ry scenic, I'm su re you get th e pi cture. W hat was even more noteworthy was that for th e only tim e during the trip, we were t o spend th e night out side. A night on th e fl oor of Death Valley.

We may have made use of the facili ties at a pa rk interpreti ve ce nter and di nner was probably w hatever each of us bought at a supermarket in one of th e places we had been through. I don't remember a sunset. Maybe shadows length ening and th en sudden darkness. But I do remember tryi ng to find a place t o ro ll out my sleeping bag w hich didn't have too many rocks. And feeli ng gratef ul that I had packed an old threadbare blanket t o place below to hopefully cus hion me somewhat. How foolish of me.

As th e su n disappea red, th e temperature dropped.

An d dropped . An d dropped. Have I ever been so cold in my life7 Eve n with every arti cle of cloth ing I could possib ly put on, it was impossible to sleep with my teeth chattering and my body shivering so much. And

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the sounds of the other students groaning and cu rsing the cold. Some sought refuge and moved th eir sleeping bags t o the fl oor of the bus or crawled into the luggage compartm ents under th e bus. Others doubled up in the sleeping bags hoping that shared body heat would help. Did I mention it was cold 7 Me 7 I just lay there near death lookin g at th e sky, too cold to move . Th is was noth ing like my Louisiana night sky, barely visible between neighbori ng buildings and branches of live oaks. I had th ought that I knew stars, those pinpricks of light scattered across th e da rk sky. Bu t th ese we re STARS, a whole cosmos of stars fi lling eve ry squa re inch of th e celestial heavens above. A disco ball of stars, an Imax movie of stars. W hat magnifi cence! How magical I I was fi lled w ith much awe and wo nder and, of cou rse, misery.

In the morn ing we thawed out and co ntinued ou r travels. Surprisi ngly (or not), by the tim e we left Sa n Diego and through San Francisco , many of us were sick w ith a fl u-like vi rus. Bu t most survived. I don't th ink Max was really tryi ng to ki ll us all, maybe he just wa nted t o cull the 4th Yea r herd. That narrow stai rcase at the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse got awfully crowded between classes.

Since then there has been a lot of water (or in 2016 landscape architecture lingo: post-development runoff not retai ned on si te as per the SWMP) under the bridge. My fellow st udents may recall other sights and places w hen they th ink back on our long ago trip. But for me, th e night in th e Valley of Death with Max, the Diablo, will be forever etched in my memory.

Max, thanks for an unforgettable congratulations on 50 great yea rs at LSU.

night

and

(I,AIR£ WllTER IIEMPE~

Graduation Year

2002

Managing Principal, Design Workshop

Degree BLA

The most memorable time from my time at LSU was Max's field trips - East Coast, West Coast and Asia. I remember we were on a field trip over the Easter holiday in California and happened to be in Yosemite on Easter Sunday. Max said he recognized some of us would want to attend church that day, but we were actually in the best church we could be in that day within nature. That has always resonated with me.

JoliN l>EfMITES ·[Lykea Comp~l\ of Betsy Rei '

LPS

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got to oonl'ierve

It b the first or t.wo : ~in·g bUnt t.o repla<:~ idt vessels: lost a year ~tgo i

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Harold E.

o;ervice s!ation

i~~~ r :cane Betsy struck t\6

on the 8eile '·' STOP llERE: •: "Imagine how

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him. Of course

Lykes wj

of the nation's ieadjng : builder~. this wiU be tht time Mrs , Gart~r has i christened a ship. · Spe:akers at the Jau: ceremony will iochlde I Secretary_ of the Navy ·

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KEY FIGURES in tbe Landscape ed Tuesday at Tulane University included lfrom. 'eft, Iron& 1 SOUGHT IN EUR rr.J. row ) Mrs. Frank Gladney. Baton Rouge, chairmao; Dr. 1 TORONTO (AP) _ A )S the Carondelet r Robert Reich, Baton Rouge.. lecturer; (back TOW) William man C.harles ieam, headed pkwy. aIong the Welcb, Baton Rouge, nsisl.ant in bortic:ultnre with Louisi· Sept.

Brown, by has angled u~ near :ii.Oa Coqperative Extension S:ervice, and Max. Z. Conrad, lgsix-weeks search ln Ei ~ iL was called · New Orltilos, lectu:er. The design school is eo--spoosored by and ScoUand lor poHceiT the New Basin I the Louisiar.a Carden Club FedentioD, Tulane aod l.huisiana augment lhe Toronto 'r.~on~~iff\~~nti~!: ~- -~a_te_L_ ·n~~r_s_ily_·._T_h_e ~~~-~w_i_H_b_e -~~_c_Io_d•_~_Th _ur_s~ :. . They hope ~o r~cruit_ ~~-.

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From Oct ober 1966. Dr. Reich and Max.

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Owner/Principal of Lewis AqOi Landscape + Architectual Design, LLC

Gradu ati on Yea r

1988 Degree

BLA

It is really diffi cul t to mention all th e memories I had experience with Max in 500 words ...

It all started back in 1984 when I started th e Landscape Architecture program. I had Max as a professor in different classes and had th e opportunity to spent more ti me with him and Dr. Reich as I worked for Dr. Reic h's offi ce occasionally.

The first trip with Max was t o th e East coast in the Fall 198 7.

After graduati ng, Max helped

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me gettin g my first job in Naples Florida .

Th e values, kn owledge, eth ics, professionalism, co nstant dedication and passion for the profession that Max has are just unique. Congratulations Max for a half of century of great work.

JVDY BYRD BFJlTENVM Professor (Retired), University of Arkansas

Graduati on Year 1986 Degree MLA Memories of Max7 There are so many, but other than regional graduate studio memories learning how to enter data into the HUGE mainframe computer (GIS precursor), my most vivid recollections are from Travels with Maxi Max, I remember so many things, but I'll begin with our first trip during Thanksgiving 1981 when we traveled to the East Coast. I could spend 500 words telling about our first room in the Boston YMCA under the interstate bridge, but those who went will remember that night and the couple who left their 3-year-old in the hall while they tended to business ...... 1 We stayed there so we could later "afford " a more expensive hotel across from Lincoln Center. You didn't really mind where we stayed because you were off duty after hours, eating your peanut butter sandwich. You had to rise early in order to jog before we rose. What a guy 1 After graduation I was fortunate to visit many wonderful places with department alums. You and Doc led the trips, but later you developed them yourself without beloved Doc. Here are some of the main memories from those times. Hope you can remember them tool Great Britain, Scandinavia, Russia, Spain, Cinque Terra, Italian Lake District, Venice, Rome, and Portugal are only some of the places I went with you. In the back of my travel journals I have a list of what I call "Magic Moments", those times when serendipitous happenings transcended our experiences. Max, see if you recall a few of these times7

"Ave Maria" and "La Mer" on his flute7 The perfect acoustics gave us all pause; no one wanted to leave.

Outside St. Petersburg, we visited an Eastern Orthodox church where four monks slipped into the area where we stood. As they began to sing, we were treated to the perfect acousti cs and their resonant voices. The CO I purchased will never recapture that moment. In Granada, after climbing up (100 steps, easily) to St. Nicholas Plaza across from the Alhambra, the evening twilight fell as the woodland lights on the exquisite complex came up. A magic moment indeed.

Being a new traveler brought other memories.

Remember when I fell headlong off the St. Petersburg, unloading platform , luckily landing on my over-stuffed suitcase7 You had just told us what to do when questioned by Soviet customs- guess I was too relaxed after running the perceived gauntlet. Andre' Neff didn't want anyone to be robbed so he warned men to carry two wallets, the good one in the front pocket.

It evidently worked because someone had their back wallet lifted 1 Andre also kept count of Russian church domes, called them "turnip tops". Remember the non English -speaking bus driver who raced us into northern Italy 1000-feet above the canyon floor7 You are the living soul of LSU Landscape Architecture, Max Conrad, and I love what you have meant in my life.

Thank you is not enough I

In Barcelona, upon descending the elevated Gaudi plaza in Pare Guell, remember the musician playing

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Assistant Landscape Architect Project Manager, The Hanover Company

Graduation Year

2001 Degree

BLA

Max memories are intertwi ned with my most transform ative travel experiences as a student. Max's ability t o never ti re (like never, does he sleep7 ), to walk at a speed and in a way that is more hovercraft than human, and to retai n so much commit ment t o keep students and alum ni con nected rank my as my most notable Max memories. No one does a west coast trip like Max, no one does "where are you now, I

need your most up t o date address and info" email like Max, no one is as committed to LSU students and alum ni as Max. Thank you for never tiring, th ank you for showing so many of us th is amazing country and world, and thank you for making each of us better Landscape Architects through exposing us to talented alum ni and un-parallel travel experiences.

Associate Professor, SOieyman Demirel Demirel University Landscape Architecture

Graduation Year

1999 Degree MLA

I had many wonderful memories with Dear MAX: One of them I had so much st ress before my th esis presentation but I was practicing before early morn ing 4 am Max was helping me out , giving me moral support. He went home I did not understand W hy he left. Bu t, after half an hour suddenly he showed up at the studio. There was a plate of food on his hands. He told me 'Uivi I coo ked for you Turkish food 'kapusca' do you know 7 W hen I was in Istanbul I liked; This is for you a good luck and energy. I never eated kapusca before My mom used to coo ked I never tested But now It was so important for me And I fel t great , I was very touched and cried. He is great man not only the great t eacher. He must know abou t you, He must know about every single student at th e school.

LSU Landscape Architecture was a such a family;

Doc, Max, Sad1k, Bruce, Neil, Susan, Van, Chack, John, Dan, Wayn, Debra are always there for me.

My last memory with Max th is year I visited him at th e st udio He is sti ll the same; same love and same energy He is spending all the ti me with students.

He support th em, shows profe ssion insight out side th ey he nnd a job and sti ll keep up with alumnus.

Th is ti me to visi ting LSU I was mad t o not seeing th e Doc any more after 17 years but I fe lted 'Doc' at the design st udio and I believe Max is sti ll carrying his soul at the LSU. Many thanks Dear MAX I am so grateful to having your unlimi ted support and fai th. God bless you MAX go for it so many years.

BRIAN t,oAD Landscape Architect, Suzanne Turner Associates

Graduati on Year 2003 Degree BLA My Max story shows the love th at he has for his students and the passion that he has for travelling. The reader must remember that th is occurred during a tim e when th e intern et was not w hat it is t oday. Just imagine, there we re no lphones, no Ipads, and internet cafes were mainly used for drinking coffee and checking email.

In October of 2005, two yea rs after graduating f rom LSU, my classmate, Byron Pogue and I decided to backpack th rough Europe. Coi ncide ntally, Max was on sabbati cal in Paris at the same tim e. He was staying in a studio fl at overlooking the Seine River. Naturally, we co ntacted him abou t our travel plans and he invited us t o join him. In true Max fashion, he emailed obscure directions, someth ing like: "I live in a fl at on the opposite side of th e island f rom Notre Dame. Ring Truelove's bell t o let me know that you are here."

Sure enough, after fl yi ng f rom New Orleans to Paris via Chicago, after navigating Charles De Gaulle airport, and after taking the RER t rai n to San Michele/Notre Dame, we arrived in front of a building on th e opposite side of th e island f rom Not re Dame. We rang the doorbell , and Max's head popped ou t of a wi ndow Ji ve stories above us. Maybe it was Max's will , or just blind luck, but I don't know how we made the twe nty-t wo hour journey f rom Baton Rouge t o Truelove's doorbell.

Max fed us and led us through a 'Max-st yle' whirlwind tour of Paris that aftern oon. Unfortunately, we were due in Amsterdam the next day, so after the tou r, we bid farewell t o Max, and hopped on a train th at evening. We would spend th e next few days in Holland.

Th ree days later, exhausted, we arrived in Berlin at 7: 00 am. We had no specinc plan or itinerary, and nei ther of us knew German. I think we had one Ri ck Steves guide book between the two of us. We shuffled off of th e trai n and toward an inform ati on ki os k. As we were tryi ng,

unsuccessfully, t o co mm unicate w ith the poor German desk lady, I heard, "You two look li ke a cou ple of lost puppies." I t urned , and th ere was Maxi To th is day, I have no idea how he found us.

He said, "Let's go, there's not much tim e and we have to see Berlinl" We were amazed . We we re speechless. We eagerly followed. He grabbed our Ric k Steves book and fou nd a place for us to stay nearby. He rang the doorbell and a cu te, small, elderly wo man answered . Max spoke to her in perfect Germ an.

That day, Max led us through the highlights of Berlin: Checkpoint Charlie's, the Jewish Museu m, the Berlin riverfront park, and the Tiergarten. He was our own personal tour guide. We barely kept up.

Byron and I we re leaving for Bernburg and Dessau in the th e morn ing, so that evening, we asked Max t o give us some ti ps about the other citi es we would visi t in th e upco ming weeks. He fli pped the train schedule over and proceeded to draw maps of Rome, Venice, and Prague from memoryl He even pointed ou t th e famous YMCA in Rome w here Doc broke his legl We were st unned. As we continued ou r travels, we used his maps as a guide t o get arou nd.

I am amazed at Max's t ranscendental qualiti es. He has an unwavering faith th at everyth ing will work out for the best.

I guess th at 's w hat Ji ve decades of teaching landscape archit ecture will do to you. I'm su re he's seen it all. ... twice.

Max is li ke a rock star. But, he's not the lead si nger of you r favorite band. He's even better, he's th eir manager. He's wise, he's a mentor, he's ou r Yodal I dug out my old sketchbook for thi s st ory, and in it I wrote, "Max is like a wal king encyclo pedia 1 " Th at's a good way to describe him. But, I guess encyclo pedias are out of date.

Now, maybe he could be described as a wal king Iphone.

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MAF:I JoHANNA ~EIBE Owner, M. Johanna Leibe, LLC

Graduation Year

1994 Degree

BLA

My first memory of Max was when I was 17 yea rs old and a freshman at LSU. While t aking his introduction to landscape architecture cou rse, two other students were talking while Max was giving his lecture. Sweet Max let them have it quick. I knew then not t o mess with Max, and was actually scared of him. That is, unti l I went on the west coast fi eld t rip when I was a ju nior. My father loaned me his Rolleiflex camera for the trip which took wo nderful pictures, but was very diffi cult to operate. Max saw the t rouble I was having with the camera and quickly grabbed the Rolleiflex out of my hand. He knew exactly how to load the fi lm, work the light meter, wind the fi lm and take th e pictures. After th at, I knew that he was someone special because he was so helpful t o me on that trip.

After I graduated, he helped me secure my nrst job.

When I was in graduate school, he encouraged me to persevere when faced with difficult challenges.

Throughout my employment thereafter, he has helped and guided me through many tough times.

Every two years, Max organizes the most fabulous Alumni trips. I have had the fortunate opportunity to have taken part in two . When I got engaged, it was a natural choice to ask Max to walk me down the aisle, since my father had passed away several years earlier.

I could go on and on about all of the wonderful memories I have had with Max. Therefore, in sum, I truly believe Max is the most selfless, giving person I have ever known . I love you Maxll

PLA, Duplantis Design Group, PC

Graduation Year

1994 Degree

BLA

Th ese are two photos of the Max with the Japan trip in 199 1. One photo is in Tokyo and the other one is in Hong Kong in 199 1.

~oVISE

(1/EfTIIAM

Grad uati on Year

2010 Degree

MLA

Postdoctoral Fellow, Stellenbosch University Clim bing the steps of Pyramid of the Sun at Teotih uacan, Mexico, Brooke Donahue and I had t o stop and take a break - com pletely out of breath. We looked up and not surprisingly, saw Max already at the t op, paci ng abou t and pointing out oth er si tes to the breath less st udents who kept pace wi th him all the way up 1 I will never forget Max's distin cti ve, fast paced wal k - and the amazing fi eld t rips. Thank you Max 1 I taught a f reshman drawing class at LSU, at least 4 of the 16 st udents had switched their major to Landscape Arc hitecture after t aking Max's intro class. Th ank you , Max, for inspiring cou ntless generations of Landscape Arch itects1

MA~

Gradu ati on Yea r

SMITH

Vice-President, RVi Planning+ Landscape Architecture

1980 Degree

BLA

Du ring a short visi t t o Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on the 1979 West Coast Trip, Max emphasized the need for all of us (40 st udents or so) to return to th e bus on tim e. We would be leaving for Yosemite soon. W hen it was ti me t o go, we were missing th ree ... surely "distracted" in the garden somewhere. Max cal mly closed the bus door at the appointed ti me and we simply drove off to Yose mite. The three "mi ssing" students (gosh... l can't remember their names ... sorry) quiet ly showed up short ly after we got to Yosemite (New Year's Eve) , havi ng hitchh iked from San Francisco w hen th ey discovered the bus was gone. I don't remember Max ever saying anyth ing about the "incident" and we all had a magical New Yea r's Eve in fresh snow in Yosemite N.P. Possessing a truly superh uman tolerance for student unpredi ctabilit y and shenanigans, Max has always been able to pu sh on with the jou rn ey (rapidly, of cou rse) undau nted by anyth ing we managed to throw at him. Those trips were wi th ou t questi on the most meaningful experiences of my LSU educati on and they would not have happened with Max's (a nd Doc's) co mm itm ent t o literally showing us the wild and crazy world of Landscape Architecture.

Thanks for fifty wonderful yea rs, Max 1

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Senior Project Manager, T. Baker Smith

Graduation Year

2006 Degree BLA

I so

MAR(IA AITEVENS

Grad uati on Year

Principle Planner, RMK Group

1976

It was 1975 and we we re on a greyhound bus wi th 42 st udents bound for Cali fornia for our west coast trip. We picked up a st udent in Texas and litt le did we know that he was sick. So with in 24 hours the whole bus ca me down with the Gl's.(with only a bus bathroom). Max got sick too. it was awf ul. The only drugs we had to sett le our st omachs was marijuana. Finally we got t o a sou thern Californ ia college ca mpus that did n't believe in doctors. I we nt wi th Max to the infirmary t o show how sick we we re and Max talked th e doctor in prescribing medici ne for th e w hole bus, w hich he th en handed out incrementally. Max was hero, as we got better.

Degree

Graduati on Year

1977 Degree

BLA

ITEPIIEN PAV~ (IIAI>WI(K P~VNKARD Senior Principle, WSP Global

BLA Max has dedi cated his life t o LSU and land scape architecture. His kindn ess and dedicati on to th e schoo l and the stud ents is remarkabl e. I have kn own Max for 36 years and have always bee n in spired by his energy, th oughtfuln ess and ge nero sity.

His legacy w ill carry on.

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WI~~IAM ~WEfT Max is an outstanding lecturer. As a Max's Memory, I will always remember him as a mentor to all student s - full of energy and enthusiasm for the students, the LSU LA program, and the profession of landscape architecture - just as Dr. Reich. Having the privilege of learn ing from each, Max excels right at the top with Dr. Reic h.

Graduation Year

1971 Degree

BLA

Graduation Year

1983 Degree

~(IIWARTZ

BLA

Occupation All those yea rs and this is the onl y pic I ca n fmd of Max. Th is is the east coast trip 1982ish, taken in the Harvard Yard .

Jim Burnett, August Schwartz, Marianne Reese Mumford, Edward Olin, are a few of those in the Ph oto .

You ca n see Doc and Max in the back just right of ce nter.

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Owner,

My Landscape Coach

Gradu ati on Yea r

1999 Degree

BLA

Before starti ng th e program at LS U, I had already heard a lot about Max and his t eaching but most importan t ly about the t rips. My father, alum '72, was a st udent of Max's. My dad only had found memories. I looked forward t o meeti ng Max when I started school in '9 4. He was always so ki nd t o me, as he was everyo ne. He knew I st ruggled with being co mpared to my father and he always made a point to show me how my ski lls were unique and different from his form er student. Obviously, I've never forgotten that and it has helped me to find my own way in th is profession.

Max leading the way on the bus t rips is by far some of my favorite memories.

I went on as many trips as I could because of him. Professor Max was able to impart knowledge at a rate and depth unmatched by anyo ne I've ever met. You needed t o be quick on your feet t o keep up with him, bu t it was worth every blister.

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Max in the captain seat on a West Coast Trip.

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Director RRSLA

Graduation Year 1996 Degree MLA Somehow, I got th rough my MLA program with ou t ever having Max as an instructor.

At the ti me, I don't remember graduate students being encouraged t o go on the East/ West Coast Field trips, so I don't have th at experience t o draw on either. My memories are more recent bu t I'm sure ones that will be validated by many of the alumni st ories th roughout these pages. Max is a hel per. Si nce my first semester here as Director, I've seen how Max goes about helping our students.

He makes a point t o take our internati onal students w ho have arrived from afar wi th out transportation shopping at Walmart. He drives anoth er alumni t o New Orleans mul ti ple ti mes for dental work because the cost is cheaper.

He works ti relessly to make co nnecti ons

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between st udent s, alumni, and employers for internships or f ull em ployment. The only way one finds ou t abou t all that he does is because it might come up matter of factly in a co nversati on, not because he is boasti ng or seeking praise, but just because it is part of his life acti vi ties. Max only asked me one questi on as he was taking me back to my hotel during my in terview, I'm glad I was able to deliver on my answer. Max is timeless, I don't th ink he has changed one ti ny bit in the more th an twenty years since I graduated . Thanks Max, for all you have done for t he School, our st udents, alumni, faculty, and me.

BFJ/(E ~Ar:t SIIARKY Professor, RRSLA at LSU

Graduation Year 1904 Degree BLA

A couple of years after I arrived at LSU Max and I were invited to teach a short course in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was during the summer and I brought my t wo young daughters along to hang out wi th me and "Uncle Max." Unbeknownst to me Max was administering large spoon full of PeptoBismo to th e daughters several ti mes a day.

After the course was over we took a bus from Guadalajara t o Guanajuato. About 30 minutes on th e ride the youngest daughter turned green and an nounced she felt sick and immediately ou t gushed waves of pink st uff.

I was horrifi ed as I thought she was bleeding internally. Max heard the commoti on and rushed over to help. He realized my horror and quickly explained that he, as a precau ti on, had been giving the girls daily doses of Pepto- Bismo. I have t old this story to several alumni and they have shared their own Max precauti onary tale of administering the pink elixir to students on various field trips over the years.

Max's Travel Elixir for field trip precautionary purposes

VAN (oX Professor Emeritus, LSU

Graduation Year 1972 Degree BLA MAX CONRAD AN ECDOTES In Commemorati on of his 50 years of teaching at the Robert Reic h School of Landscape Arc hitecture Louisiana State Un iversity Professor Emeritus Va n L. Cox, FASLA September 27, 2016

MAXisms Max Z. Conrad was rece ntly honored in recognition of his 50 yea rs of teaching at LS U, and I realized to my surprise that I have known Max and been a student, colleague and friend for 4 9 of those 50 years; he ca me in 1965 and I started in the summer of 196 7. I realize my words are not unique and the following 'stories' are representati ve of the thousands that collectively could be told about Max, and especially by our alumni.

I hope th at he, you , and everyone else that reads these words will forgive my errors in facts, dates, and people involved, as my age and mental ca pacity often betrays mel Sti ll, my memories about him are vivid enough t o give it a try 1 Everyone th at knows Max understands his dedication and love for travel; pla nning for travel; saving money traveli ng; th ose who travel volu ntarily with him; food/cooking; landscape architecture; Doc, and our students, alumn i, and special friends. Most also know of his role as designated 'job fin der', parental surrogate, and cheerleader t o ou r students and alum ni, and most know that he serves also as part-tim e buildi ng and maintenance manager-kn owi ng everyth ing from which light bulbs to replace and w here, to kn owing the right bulbs to use and the person to call to get anyth ing done on the LSU ca mpus. Since we all know him so well and have all probably been the benefactor of his tireless e-m ails cajoli ng us to do someth ing for him or the School , perh aps some of th e following will remind

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you of your own experiences in interacting with Max: Max the Traveler I first met Max as one of my initi al st udio design teachers, along with Jon Em erson. Eve n before I met him personally, th ough, my class mat es and I had recei ved a letter during the summer-two weeks before classes were offi cially t o begi n during the summer of 1969 - informi ng us we were goi ng on a two wee k fi eld trip out west (i.e. the first West Coast Fi eld Trip). Oh yes, and we were told to bring a small ice chest with goodies in it. We had no idea w hy we were going and one of our classmates had married a few days before we were to depart, but th ere we were at the old Fi eld House, boarding a bus wi th a toilet facilit y in the rear area, departing for our adventure. I recall the tot al cost t o me was around $300.

We discovered th at we were not stopping at any hotels on th e way and th at ou r first overn ight st op-and shower use--would be in Yosemite National Park in Cali forn ia. We stopped at bus stations along th e way t o switch drivers, buses, and grab some yu mmy bus station food (miraculously, th ere was only one case of food poisoning, after one classmate had a spicy Mexican meal in Al buquerque; he made it as far as San Francisco before a doctor was su mmoned to see him). We kept on going for 3 straight days (wi th one or two stops along the way to visi t sights and si tes). I was foolish enough to choose to sit in the rear of the bus- immediately adjacent to the t oilet 1 We had one female in the class of 20 plus students, and Max had arranged for a female "chaperone" to come along, but the st udent dropped out after we returned t o LSU, so you might get an idea of how it was on a bus for that long with only one, leaky and smelly t oilet.

Once we reached more urbanized areas, th e other stops we re at grocery stores, w here we we re instructed to t eam up and have one st udent buy a loaf of bread, another peanut butter, jelly, etc. to feed the masses.

Max made one big mistake by stopping at a grocery immediately adjacent to a MacDonald's outlet , suggesting someone go pick up some plasti c kn ives; it wasn't long before we all made a beeline t o the fast food grub 1 We soon discovered th e immu table truth about Max and if th ere's any two things Max is all about, it's not wasting money nor tim e on anything.

after visitin g Haight-Ashbury, the Filmore West and seeing the musical "Hai r," we had been bitten by the 'youth rebellion' bug; we had left Baton Rouge with short hair and clea n cut looks, and were return ing to the beginnings of 'th e youth movement' back home).

In response, Max quickly contacted a local Holiday Inn and arranged for us to sleep 4 or 5 t o a room for $5 each, includi ng a buffet breakfast. We thought we had died and gone to Heaven 1 Power to the students.

StaromestSI<J radnice s oclojem

One of our classmates - called "T" here for anonymit y-was much older, having gone to Vietn am in the Ai r Force, and he was a ca ntankerous soul -not ca ring much for authority at all. In the Carm el area, Max had arranged for the bus to t ake us through the Pebble Beach area and the "17 mile drive," but w hen he asked each student to ante up $5 to pay for the toll , "T" refused and wa nted to be let off th e bus saying he would "walk it " instead 1 Max got off, too, and tried to coax him back on, but his response was to practically lift Max off the grou nd against the bus with his elbow I I think Max ended up paying his way 111 Similarly, at UCLA in Los Angeles, Max had arranged for us t o stay for a few bucks (it was summer and fewer students in the dorms) in one of the mixed wome n's/men's dorms on cam pus. Most of us were delighted, of cou rse, but "T" had Ai r Force friends that lived nearby, didn't wa nt to pay the money, and they came and picked him up to spend the night with them - only to return at 6:00a .m. the next morning-30 minutes before departure 1 On the way back, we were delighted t o hear th at Max had arranged or us to stay at a hotel somewhere in West Texas. W hen we pulled up in front, it looked like someth ing ou t of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, with a dusty, rusty screen door on th e obviously un-ai r-co nditioned offi ce and unkempt appearance altogether. We refused to get off the bus 1 (Keep in mind that th is was the 60's, the 'hippie' movement had already been raging in San Francisco and Berkeley, and

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Max th e Educator Several stories stand ou t in my mind regardi ng having Max as a teacher: Th e first has to do with his ability to deal with a hard-headed st udent (like me) w ho refused t o listen t o hi s critiques w hen we we re dealing wi th a project for the Baton Rouge Ri ve rfront. After several go-rounds wherein I refused to yield to hi s advice to revise my (ad mittedly poor) preli minary design, he arranged for Dan Earle t o co me down and critique me in stead. W ithout a smidgen of ego on Max's part involved, th e su bsequent changes recommended by Dan we re exactly what Max had advised, but si nce it wasn't my teacher criti qui ng me, it was easier to accept the advice. He taught me a stro ng lessen in not being so defensive about my work.

I thoroughly enjoyed Max teaching me Pla nt Materials, sharing the du ties with Doc - who would give us 1,000 or more plants per semester, whereas Max would keep it to a more reasonable number- BOO or so. Only later, when I became a facult y member did Max let on that he knew li tt le or noth ing about plant materials when he taught my class, havi ng to study up himself the wee k before in order t o st ay ahead of us-his studentsl I had no idea, and he was so good at covering up his lack of experience th at I never kn ew the difference and I promise I ca n sti ll reci te th e scientific names of all those plantsl Max th e Mentor My first experiences at teaching were as a graduate

T.A. Max needed hel p with w hat was then th e fl edgling I owe Max a great debt of gratitude, t oo, for my abiliti es now in researching a subject, as when he would be critiquing us and offering suggesti ons for certain th ings, there would inevitably be someth ing we wa nted t o know more about and would ask him to explai n it in greater detail. Instead , he would say, "Look it Up" or "Go to the Library." At th at tim e our st udio was in the 'Ca nebrake Room' of the Huey P. Long Field House and only abou t 100 ya rds from th e library (a nd he knows the exact distance because he's wal ked and tim ed it l), we would balk at doing so. He would hold out and never give in to our laziness, so th at eventually we would make th e trek over to th e library and find out on our own. To th is day I benefit from that lesson and researching a subject has become a much stronger part of my design process, th anks t o Max. Our infamous M r. "T" was also a th orn in Max's side in our design st udio, as he once presented a model requi red for a residential project and pro minately displayed inside a front wi ndow was a profi le of Max hangi ng from a noosel Needless t o say Max was not displeased w hen M r. "T" also became a program dropou t l

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"computer" class in ou r program, and so l- in graduate school at the tim e at LSU--and Tony Knox- who had attended Harva rd and had at least some experience with co mputers- we re his assistants. Each wee k Max would have us do what he did as a plant materials teacher- bone up on the subject at hand, practi ce a few exercises, and be one week ahead of his/our students.

Max was a marvelous mentor- despite my al most zero knowledge and interest in compu ter use and language- and somehow hel ped convi nce our students that we knew w hat we were t alkin g abou t l Th is was especially di ffi cult du ring those days w hen one had to use a 'keypunch ca rd' t o program the co mputer (which was noth ing more than a glorifi ed calculat or)!

Friendship with Max comes with a price, though, as most of you are aware. Once you go t o him for advice or assistance, the barrage of e-mails wi th suggesti ons will co ntinue persistently unti l you unp lug you r computer and turn off you r phone, or somehow change you r addressl Yet, w ho is th e first person we all turn to when in need of a factoid regardi ng the School , some alumn us's name and address, or source of informati on (i ncludi ng the pro per light bulbs t o use and th e person who'll be installing it)l

Traveling W ith Max Agai n Perhaps one of the more interesting experiences I've ever had wi th Max was helpi ng him chaperone th e 198 1-1982 West Coast Trip as a full -time facul ty member. Th is tim e, the trip was t o be in Decem ber t o January and th e class was so large Max rented 6, 6 person su burban-si zed vehicles- wi th no snow ti res -and each one had a st udent, me or him as a driver.

We used begged or borrowed CB radios to mai ntai n contact with each other, and you ca n imagi ne how that worked; somehow, Max and I as facul ty members always maintained co ntact but ma ny of the others got lost on severa I occasions. One va n had it s door ripped off the hinges by a speeding car when we had st opped t o visit someth ing, and the driver opened his door in the path of the car. The door had to be strapped on and th e window wasn't fully operati onal for the rest of the trip.

It was a particula rly unusual wi nter out West, and we encou ntered 6" of snow in Yosemite, almost 10' at Lake Tahoe, and mudslides in Sausalit o and San Francisco that forced Lawrence Halprin to re-schedule our meetin g with him . Two of the va ns hot-tailed it for home once we t urned east after visiting San Diego and the rest were due to visitJim Ric hards and other alum ni working at the Recreation Department in Ft. Worth.

Th at morn ing we awoke to v.'' of ice on th e wi ndows and 4 degree temperature in Ft. Worth with plenty of ice on the roads. After the visit to the Rec reation Department Offi ces, we were due to visit alums in Dallas as well, but the t em perature there barely hovered above 0 degrees, so we headed south toward Houst on to get home via 1-10. Th e roads were icy and big trucks and standard vehicles were sliding all over and into one another. Max was drivi ng a van with several you ng ladies and they had just st opped for coffee when he crossed an iced over bridge and ended up spinning around a few ti mes and endi ng up in th e median with some uninjured , but coffee -drenched st udentsl Th e irony was that once we

ret urned to Baton Rouge, we discovered it had been 10 degrees there and many of us did n't have water due to bursting water pipes. One of Max's t ypical trips, I'm sure 1

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W hile we were in San Francisco and before th e really bad weather got t o us, I did discover a deep, dark secret of Max's: he purposefully doesn't always tell st udents (nor fellow chaperones) w here he's goi ng next and often wal ks excepti onally fast so, 1) they wo n't take off and go somewhere else and then meet back up with the grou p, and 2) so th ey'll be forced to keep up with him t o not get lost and not get distracted by oth er th ings on th e way t o his main objective. I also found out anoth er of his secret s: he's like a camel in that he eat s w hat looked to me like "gruel" (or library paste) for breakfast each morn ing in his hotel room, but once every 5 days or so he would go t o a nicer cah'/restaurant and 'load up' wi th food . If you've ever eaten with Max during one of his "ref ueling" sessions, you kn ow he isn't a big conversationalist and one better get out of his way if standing on the way t o th e "trough" if it's a buffet l I'm not sure ei th er how he li nes his pocket s, but I'm sure th at like an inseam he let s th em ou t t o hold more 'ca rry-out s' I Final Comments We all have our fond and mysterious experiences with Max and I than k th e heavens th at I had the experience to be wi th him as a st udent and a colleague, and I'm su re all you alums will agree, I'm also th ankful he's sti ll at our alma mater. His carry-out s these days are almost always brought up to studios for th e st udents or Max personally di rect s them downstairs t o pick up leftover rece ption food before or after a public lecture. For more years th an we'll ever really kn ow - especially since th e passing of Doc's beloved Helen Reic h in the late 60's- Max had been Doc's "right-hand man" and had taken care of Doc, performing many tasks that Helen once t ook on and kept Doc functioning and productive. His generosit y- especially with ti me spent with just about anyone w ho seeks his hel p-is incredi ble, and truly th e School would not be poised w here it is without his presence.

He recently was recognized by Design Intelligence as being among th e 25 Most Admi red Educat ors for 2016 -20 17 ci ti ng his "im prompt u speaking, a highly coo perati ve st yle, personal magneti sm, impeccable honesty, and an overall wi nning professional demeanor." W hat an absolutely accurate tribute to a really great man- one who helps make landscape architecture such a magical profession and experiences at the Robert Reic h School of Landscape Arc hitecture so memorable.

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