The Biography of Lance Martin: History's First Child of Freedom
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Excerpts from the biography:
“The midnight hours.
“Lance’s thoughts turned to Galambos’ concept of the eternal voyage. There was no going back on this voyage, there was no safe harbor. Like the marooned Shackleton who had saved all twenty-seven of his men by sailing away from Antarctica in a small open boat to find help, Lance had come to realize that there was no going back, that to him his Antarctica was flatland.
“The voyage for him had begun long ago, before he had ever known that such a thing existed. It had begun on the night when his father had turned over on his side and shone his flashlight on the clock on the floor and known that it was time to take his wife to the hospital. It had continued up through the first dim memories of childhood, through the sound of sea waves pounding on long ago beaches, through glimpses of purple-brown tide pools peaceful against the smoking line of the surf, through intimate hikes along the cliff trails and foot races and bicycle jumps and the sound of his father pounding abalone and laughing with his friends in the night. It continued on through his remembrance of his father’s first stories, made up on the spot, followed always by dreams that continued them on through the night; through the sound of his father’s voice, strong and sure, leading him forward, always forward.
“Up through the years he had voyaged, through his first school grades, through his discovery of his intellect on the night his father had taught him about property; the first meeting of Galambos and answering correctly ‘Archimedes’; the self-discoveries while reading the great classics of the past; his father’s lectures on building freedom and never giving in to the wrong; his own first lectures on truth, validity and morality in the family living room. It had continued on through the times he stood up to his teachers and school acquaintances for the right; through his shaking of Galambos’ hand after V-76; his first and second Concept 21s; his nights with Shakespeare; the gradual unfolding of physical reality in the physics course; his letters to Martin that revealed the glories of the theory; his discoveries of New York City; the cold creaking of the earth on its axis during the midnight hours; and, twinkling invitingly far above in the heavens, the stars; always the stars; and the calling of man’s eternal voyage.” The Midnight Hours.
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“Who knows, Martin, perhaps a thousand years down the line, this very night, a thousand years from now someone shall read this very letter and he will pause and try to imagine Lance Martin, huddled in the corner of a night adult school room, aspiring to get out of school, writing this letter. And, perhaps, if this person is as passionate as you and I he will feel a deep gratitude for us, so much so that this letter might provoke a tear, an innocent tear, of warmth and thanks. Here’s to all you future beings who might read this letter written many years ago by one young kid writing to a true friend who thought of more than just his life. I write for your sake. I write for posterity. I wish you all the luck in the world.” Lance Martin—Letter to Martin Atkins February 14, 1977 quoted in the Epilogue
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“Among a remnant the words of the professor rang truer and grander than ever. Mrs. Galambos had announced that she was ‘editing BOOK 1 from the transcripts of the professor’s V-50 and V-201 tapes’ and was planning to ‘bring out the first volume of this multi-volume opus.’ In addition, she had already written and published a biography of the professor’s father. Before long a new republic of letters was to be set forth into the world; not through established channels of publication, for these were controlled by those who ran the state, but in those areas where pilgrims could be found, men who despaired of flatland institutions, who travelled light, who were in quest of the Holy Grail of knowledge.
“Included in that new spaceland literature would be this biography; not as a scientific exposition of the professor’s theory but as opportunity for all who read it to be born anew; to enter once again into childhood and through the eyes and ears of its hero to reestablish the foundations of their personalities, intellects and characters, gradually and inexorably, until they become fully mature, able to take responsibility for all their actions in life. The biography was written not only to reconstruct a great life, but to infect the reader with the passion to live such a life — a royal road to volitional science and freedom, a telescoping of all one’s years of youth into half a thousand pages and a few days’ reading.
“Through the life of the young Lance the elect of all ages can now be stirred to live by the principles of volitional science and with a passion and love of life not otherwise possible.” Epilogue
Excerpts from the biography:
“The midnight hours.
“Lance’s thoughts turned to Galambos’ concept of the eternal voyage. There was no going back on this voyage, there was no safe harbor. Like themarooned Shackleton who had saved all twenty-seven of his men by sailing away from Antarctica in a small open boat to find help, Lance had come to realize that there was no going back, that to him his Antarctica was flatland. “The voyage for him had begun long ago, before he had ever known that such a thing existed. It had begun on the night when his father had turned over on his side and shone his flashlight on the clock on the floor and known that it was time to take his wife to the hospital. It had continued up through the first dim memories of childhood, through the sound of sea waves pounding on long ago beaches, through glimpses of purple-brown tide pools peaceful against the smoking line of the surf, through intimate hikes along the cliff trails and foot races and bicycle jumps and the sound of his father pounding abalone and laughing with his friends in the night. It continued on through his remembrance of his father’s first stories, made up on the spot, followed always by dreams that continued them on through the night; through the sound of his father’s voice, strong and sure, leading him forward, always forward. “Up through the years he had voyaged, through his first school grades, through his discovery of his intellect on the night his father had taught him about property; the first meeting of Galambos and answering correctly ‘Archimedes’; the self-discoveries while reading the great classics of the past; his father’s lectures on building freedom and never giving in to the wrong; his own first lectures on truth, validity and morality in the family living room. It had continued on through the times he stood up to his teachers and school acquaintances for the right; through his shaking of Galambos’ hand after V-76; his first and second Concept 21s; his nights with Shakespeare; the gradual unfolding of physical reality in the physics course; his letters to Martin that revealed the glories of the theory; his discoveries of New York City; the cold creaking of the earth on its axis during the midnight hours; and, twinkling invitingly far above in the heavens, the stars; always the stars; and the calling of man’s eternal voyage.” The Midnight Hours. ………………………………………………………….
“Who knows, Martin, perhaps a thousand years down the line, this very night, a thousand years from now someone shall read this very letter and he will pause and try to imagine Lance Martin, huddled in the corner of a night adult school room, aspiring to get out of school, writing this letter. And, perhaps, if this person is as passionate as you and I he will feel a deep gratitude for us, so much so that this letter might provoke a tear, an innocent tear, of warmth and thanks. Here’s to all you future beings who might read this letter written many years ago by one young kid writing to a true friend who thought of more than just his life. I write for your sake. I write for posterity. I wish you all the luck in the world.” Lance Martin—Letter to Martin Atkins February 14, 1977 quoted in the Epilogue
…………………………………………………………
“Among a remnant the words of the professor rang truer and grander than ever. Mrs. Galambos had announced that she was ‘editing BOOK 1 from the transcripts of the professor’s V-50 and V-201 tapes’ and was planning to ‘bring out the first volume of this multi-volume opus.’ In addition, she had already written and published a biography of the professor’s father. Before long a new republic of letters was to be set forth into the world; not through established channels of publication, for these were controlled by those who ran the state, but in those areas where pilgrims could be found, men who despaired of flatland institutions, who travelled light, who were in quest of the Holy Grail of knowledge.
“Included in that new spaceland literature would be this biography; not as a scientific exposition of the professor’s theory but as opportunity for all who read it to be born anew; to enter once again into childhood and through the eyes and ears of its hero to reestablish the foundations of their personalities, intellects and characters, gradually and inexorably, until they become fully mature, able to take responsibility for all their actions in life. The biography was written not only to reconstruct a great life, but to infect the reader with the passion to live such a life — a royal road to volitional science and freedom, a telescoping of all one’s years of youth into half a thousand pages and a few days’ reading.
“Through the life of the young Lance the elect of all ages can now be stirred to live by the principles of volitional science and with a passion and love of life not otherwise possible.” Epilogue
What did Professor Andrew Galambos have to say about Lance Martin?
“On September 16 [1977], during the intermission of the fifty-sixth session of his open-end course, he [Professor Galambos] took William Martin aside in one of his private offices, and with the words ‘I presume, Mr. Martin, that you will know what to do with this,’ handed him an unsealed letter in which he expressed his condolences. The letter, signed by the professor and his wife, bore a prophetic tone: ‘Although he will not be here to exhort verbally others of his generation to listen, and learn, and ultimately to build a new world, he has managed to set an example for others to follow.’ And, ‘For the two of us, viewing the forthcoming generation devoid of both rationality and morality, it was heartening to see at least one young man emerging out of that generation, who was so full of promise.'” Epilogue.
More from the Professor on Lance Martin:
“By the spring of the next year [1978] a growing number of young people, inspired by Lance’s life, were taking V-50 in San Diego.
“The professor’s morale was cheered by this news and on May 5, 1978, during the sixty-fifth session of his open-end course, he declared that despite all that was happening to the country there were reasons why the young people in his audience should be optimistic. Among these reasons was the stirring example of a single young man acting alone. With the tape recorders catching his words for history, he declared that Lance had been an inspiration to twenty-five new graduates of V-50; that he had been raised right; and that his loss was a great tragedy. ‘Imagine the power of this example,’ he concluded. The audience broke into applause.” Epilogue.
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Impressed with Lance’s achievement the professor asked Martin Atkins, Lance Martin’s best friend, and William Martin, his father, to deliver talks at the twentieth anniversary alumni meeting held March 14-15, 1981:
“On this occasion Martin Atkins delivered a historic talk entitled ‘Lance W. Martin—A Tribute to a Primary Friend.’ He was followed by the professor’s introduction of Lance’s father who further honored Lance in a talk on spaceland parenting.” Epilogue.
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At the conclusion of the 100th session of the open-end course on April 3, 1981 the professor announced that there had been some good but not yet well-known changes over the past twenty years. He mentioned several, the last of which was “…the inspiration of Lance’s life which was largely responsible for a fifty-two strong flowstream in the open-end course.” His life and writings, the professor added, had served as inspiration for his father’s and Mr. Martin Atkins’s tributes at the recent alumni meeting—proof that amid a world of hippies a young, clean youth could emerge, “led by an eminently worthwhile young man.” Epilogue.
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“On December 4 of that year [1981], just before concluding the 108th session of the open-end course, the professor again referred to Lance’s flowstream as a source of optimism to himself and his market. It had now grown to be the largest representation in the room.” Epilogue.
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On December 13 [1981] during the fifth session of STIP-15 the professor suddenly turned off his tapes and made a list of eleven persons he believed would be historically recognized in 100 years for “having amounted to something.” After the session he called William Martin up to the podium and informed him that he “had included his son Lance on this list.” Epilogue.
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William Ward Martin
(below left) Lance Martin after attending a book sale while in Hawaii. (center) William Martin with his fifteen-year-old son Lance, 1975. (below right) Lance Martin and Martin Atkins together with Tom Cox (not pictured) halfway up the mountain they would “conquer” off the Nu’uanu Valley, Oahu, Hawaii 1976, August 13
