General Questions

Can any of you comment on the idea of the American Dream: Does it still
exist for young people today? What advice would you give young people who
are looking to achieve their American Dream?
What or who was the biggest contribution to your success?
With your vast influence and wealth, what has been your biggest contribution
to society?
Have any of you published any significant work on your successes? (Mary Kay
Ash book providing advice to businesswomen)
There are no failures- just experiences and your reactions to them What Is
your opinion of this quote? (especially Madoff and Zuckerberg)
What panelist from the past do you most admire?
What advice do you think could be given to young people hoping to follow in
your footsteps?
Who would you want to play you in the movie of your life? Why?
What was your earliest job?
What is your opinion of education today?
What was your family life like? Have they contributed to your success or
stood in the way? Have they contributed to your failures, or helped you rise
from the ashes?
What is your opinion of military service? Unlike many other countries it is not
mandatory in the US for young men (or women) to serveis this a good or
bad policy in your opinion? (Elvis served/ Ray Kroc lied about age and
volunteered as ambulance driver at 15 and later served with Walt Disney in
WWI/ Hershey made ration D bars and Tropical Chocolate bars/ CS Lewis/
Tesla evaded draft)

Philanthropy Questions

The American Heritage Dictionary defines philanthropy as the

effort/inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by
charitable aid or donations; an activity or institution intended to
promote human welfare.
Donald Fisher why is education a particular focus of your
philanthropic contributions to America?
Did any of you help establish Universities or other educational
institutions? ( Kroc Dartmouth Medical School/ Vanderbilt (obvious)
College/ Hershey (obvious) School for Boys)
Mr. Hershey Why did you find need to educate boys and not girls as
well?

Business Moguls Panel:

Would any of you (Trump) consider running for political office and do you
think you could make a significant different in the economy by giving advice
to the president?
Although a captain of industry (Carnegie)and shrewd businessman, you
were also an optimist. You shared with H.D. Thoreau, an abiding democratic
faith in the common sense, decency and nobility of spirit in people. But a few
quotes of yours made it difficult to determine if your optimism and
humanitarianism were built out of a good heart or a focus on material wealth:
o Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket
o The man who dies thus rich, dies disgraced
Mr. Madoff - do you have any thoughts on Carnegies assertions:
o Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket (Twain)
o The man who dies thus rich, dies disgraced
For his trouble, the average worker in 1890 received about 10 dollars a week,
just above the poverty line of 500 dollars a year. It took the wages of nearly
4000 steel workers to match your earnings (Carnegie) alone. How can you
justify your philanthropic contributions while keeping your steel workers at
slave labor?
Mr. Carnegie you elected to work with Frick (coal/coke magnate) in your
steel ventures. What made you so keen to cut ties with this man in the end?
What did you learn from the experience?
What is your opinion of labor unions? (Morgan did not like it---said it hurt
profit and provided bad publicity)
Currently there is a movement to do away with collective bargaining (wage
and benefit negotiations between the union and management). This would
take away their ability to protect their income and healthcare benefits. What
are your thoughts on this?
What is your educational background? How has it contributed to your
successes and failures in life and business?
Older Business Moguls -What advice would you give to people like Donald
Trump, Larry Page and Mark Zuckerberg?
Mr. Trump What makes Trump Tower unique?
What is the key to being successful in the business world? Choose one word
and explain how it helped you in your career.
Is it better to know what you do, or to do what you know?
Due to recent financial crises in our country, businesses are being bailed out
of debt with government money. The intent is to jump-start the economy and
get people out and spending again. Do you approve of this decision? Would

you ever use bailout monies? Why or why not? (JP.Morgan did it himself with
TCI in 1907)
Have you financed any technological advancements (Morgan funded Teslas
Wardenclyffe Tower with $150,000 for experiments in transmitting energy--then pulled funds on him when it didnt profit him enough---wireless
technology would not need to rely on Morgans copper monopoly, going as
far as to warn other potential investors off of the project as well)
Mr. Vanderbilt / Mr. Ford with the rising cost of gasoline, warnings of the
harm our vehicles are doing to the earth and American dependence on
automobile technology are rampant. How might you, an early American
businessman in the transportation industry, suggest we approach this
growing crisis?
Mr. Walton What do you think about the fact that your stores sell products
made in foreign countries now, mere years after taking up your Buy
American campaign? By 2005, 60% of your stores merchandise came from
foreign countries.
Mr. Kroc what foundations have you developed and what was your motive in
opening the Ronald McDonald House Charities? (Kroc foundation to treat
alcoholism and diabetes---ironic/ Donor to Dartmouth Medical School)
Mr. Kroc tell us a little about your political contributions over the years.
(financial supporter of Nixons reelection/ influences White House policy on
wages for teen workers---what are teen workers in his stores paid now?)
Mr. Kroc What is your relationship with the Walt Disney Company and why
are your products not often sold in those parks? (Met Walt driving ambulance
in WWI---suspected that Krocs request to partner with Disney corp. was
refused because Disney wanted to charge a higher price for fries)
Mr. Shultz As a traveler, what is your view on looking to other countries for
inspirations and advice on burgeoning business concepts? Does it make us
more competitive or just copy-cats of the latest trends?
Mr. Frick What role did you play in the Homestead Strike? (steelworkers and
iron workers locked themselves inside the factory and surrounded it with
pickets---Frick built a big wooden fence with barbed wire to keep them out
---it was nicknamed fort frick---Pinkerton Agents were armed and broke in to
stop the strike and killed several workers in the process
Mr. Frick you are known as the most hated man in Americawhat made
you deserving of this title and/or how would you defend yourself? (cited as
being ruthless and immoral in business dealings)
Mr. Frick what is your relationship with Mr. Carnegie? What did your
experience teach you about friendship and trust in business partnerships?
(met him while honeymooning and made a business partnership. Frick
supplied coke for Carnegies steel mills---despite contributions to the business
though, Carnegie disregarded Frick in many financial decisions)
Mr. Frick what was the Pittsburgh Relief Committee and tell us about what
you did to give back to the community through your involvement with it?

(assistance to Johnstown Flood victims---but sworn not to talk about the club
because they were actually in some respect responsible for the flood))
Mr. Disney Tell us about your school experience. What did this contribute to
your fame? (had to repeat 2nd grade when he moved to Kansas City. Found his
happiness and true trade education at a friend, Walter Peffers home--Peffers family were theatre aficionados and inspired Disney to start Saturday
courses at the KC Art Institute/ in his adult life he donated time and money to
the CAL Institute of the Arts formed in 1961)
Mr. Disney- what do you think of the value of after-school jobs (dad took on
newspaper delivery route for the KC star and the boys, Roy and Walt himself
delivered papers on it. Approx. 700 papers delivered each morning and 600+
on Sundays)
Mr. Disney --From the naming of your famed mouse to the naming of your
first steam engine at Disneyland, you have made many tributes to your wife.
What was your relationship like and does that relationship speak to your
opinion of and relationship to women in general?
Mr. Disney--What are some of the technologies that you were instrumental in
developing during your years in the movie and theme park business. (threestrip Technicolor, xeroxcel, multiplane camera). In your experience does the
tech make the movie or the movie make the tech?
Mr. Disney --What was the reception for your concept for Snow White? Did
itturn out a people expected? Why or why not? (certain that the endeavor
would destroy the Disney Studio and dubbed the project "Disney's Folly".
Both Lillian and Roy tried to talk Disney out of the project, One reason for why
Three Little Pigs was so successful was the strength of its story, in that
Disney had realized the success of animated films depended upon telling
emotionally gripping stories that would grab the audience and not let go. [73][74]
This realization led to another of his innovations: a "story department,"
separate from the animators, with storyboard artists who would be dedicated
to working on a "story development" phase of the production pipeline.)
Mr. Disney --Your daughter Sharon was a recognized philanthropist,
contributing to many childrens and educational causes during her life. Did
she get her charitable spirit from her father?
Mr. Disney what is your opinion about civil rights? (It is surmised due to
certain films, reports, and your involvement in the Motion Picture Alliance for
the Preservation of American Ideals that you were racist, anti-semite, and
anti-communist---it is, however, reported that he donated to a number of
Jewish chairities)
Mr. Disney can you speak to us about your vision for EPCOT (Experimental
Prototype Community of Tomorrow). What did it involve? What was its
purpose? And do you think your contemporary imagineers have succeeded in
bringing your vision to fruition? (EPCOT Center---opened in 1982 is more of an
educational park, but imagineers later developed Celebration, Floridawhich
was more in the vein of his purposes)

Mr. Hershey/ Mr. Disney both of you set out to (and achieved---albeit
posthumously for one of you) to develop a community as well as the
accompanying entertainment venue of your parks. What was your purpose
for doing so? (town for workers at your plant)---what do you think of the old
song lyric Owe my soul to the company store?---what would you say to
people who would accuse you of this? (Hershey was very much concerned
with avoiding the sad row houses of company towns---this is part of why he
built his park. He aimed for comfort and good education, and recreation to
keep his workers happy)
Mr. Hershey You were bankrupt at 30. How did you turn your life around?
What did you learn from this experience?
Broad (75% of wealth is commited)/Buffett/Gates what is the giving
pledge (rich Americans giving of their income to charity)are you a part
of this? Why? ---Otherswhy are you not?
Eli/ Edythe Broade What was the Brode Foundation ( 2.1 billion dollar assets
to support education, science and art s in Southern California---revitilization
of downtown LA, reform of k-12 education across the US)
Mary Kay Ash What advice would you give to women going into business
(she has a lot of trouble in her first company Stanley Home Products, where
she was passed over for promotion in favor of a man she trained)

Technology and Entertainment Moguls

Mr. Speilberg ---what do you think makes your films so successful in the box
office?
Mr. Speilberg --- how have your films helped the world?
Mr. Speilberg What is the SHOAH Foundation and why were you instrumental
is developing it?
Mr. C.S. Lewis ---Why do you think your Narnia series has been so popular and
still widely read today?
Mr. C.S. Lewis ---how have you been incfluenced by lit? how has lit been
influenced by you?
Mr. CS Lewis ---what is your relationship with politics? (Lewis was named on
the last list of honours by George VI in December 1951 as a member of the
Order of the British Empire but declined so as to avoid association with any
political issues.)
Mr. CS Lewis ---How has education influenced your life and career?
Miss Hepburn ---many young women, even today, look up to you as a role
model. Do you feel that you make a good one? (charitable work and
contributions to UNICEF/ first actress to win an Academy Award, Golden Globe
and BAFTA Award for a single performance butpotentially controlling and
abusive relationship with American actor, Mel Ferrer) and why do you think so
many people love you? (Did not think she was beautiful; felt inferior but said
that this is what made her stronger and self-reliant: I found the only way to
get the better of [those insecrities] was by adopting a forceful, concentrated
drive. /Gregory Peck insisted her name be billed with his despite her relative
obscurity when they filmed Roman Holiday/ supposedly great friends with
Julie Andrews and insisted that they hire Julie for my fair Lady but they hired
Audrey in the end, despite protestations)
Miss Hepburn ---why did you work with UNICEF? What makes you fit for the
job? What did you learn from it? (went hungry and fell ill as a young girl in
Nazi occupied country---knows hunger and poverty first hand/ speaks 6

languages fluently/ loves children and is great with them. They say she was
like a pied piper with the fly covered little ones in Bangladesh)
Miss Hepburn what does humanity or the condition of being humane,
mean to you? ( the third world is a term I dont like very much, because
were all one world. I want people to know that the largest part of humanity is
suffering. these are not naural disasters but man-made tragedies for
which there is only one man-made solutionpeace)
Miss Hepburn ---what is better in your eyes: to give a man a fish, or teach a
man to fish? (saw the labors of the poor people working toward helping one
another---unity of cause benefitting everyone---even when you are poor and
suffering, you can contribute some talent or gift o the betterment of all.
Miss Hepburn ---in what way are you an activist for civil rights? (involved in
Dutch resistance to German occupation, despite dad being a Nazi
sympathizer/ worked to help the impoverished gte food, water, and heathcare
as a part of UNICEF.
Miss Hepburn --- What do you think of the concept that helping others is a
political responsibility? Taking care of children has nothing to do with
politics. I think perhaps wiht time, instead of there being a politicitization of
humanitarian aid, there with be a humnitization of politics?
Miss Hepburn ---What are your experiences with method acting? How did you
nnect with characters to act as them? (spent time in convents to prepare for
sister Luke in The Nuns story (1959)/ made chages to scripts and selected
costumes to suit her
What warnings and recommendations do you have for young people when
interacting online and within social media?
Where do you see entertainment going in the future? 20 years from now?
The buzz surrounding e-books as the new have-to-have technology is high
right now. Major bookstores are closing and the majority of the public have
turned to the internet to order even their paperback books. Do you think
ebooks are a good or bad technology to rely on? In this case is man running
technology or technology running man?
The media is always pushing and prodding to get the most shocking news
and the juiciest gossip about celebrities. Should the life of a celebrity be
expected to be an open book or do they have a right to privacy? Should they
be held to a higher behavioral standard due to their position as a role model
and/or public figure?
Mr. Gates a number of industry insiders criticize your business tactics, which
they consider anti-competitive, as opinion which has in some cases been
upheld by courts. What is your response to these critics?
Mr. Gates in your experience as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, what is
your opinion about the value of education for young persons hoping walk in
your footsteps (scored a 1590 out of 1600 on SAT and attended an Ivy
League school)

Mr. Gates it is said that you love to read the biogrpahies of great man.
Which of those sitting in this room tonight inspires you the most and why?
Which do you least admire? (One great figure he did not admire was Henry
Fordwho quickly let his company fall behind General Motors and became
the auto industrys perpetual Number 2)
Mr. Gates you have the following quote from The Great Gatsby ( a novel
which both you and your wife love) displayed in your home: He had come a
long way to his blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close he could
hardly fail to grasp it. Why is this quote so meaningful to you? Ironically it is
followed by: he did not know that [his dream] as already behind him,
somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields
of the republic rolled on under the night. Obviously the republic referred
to here is the common folk living sad, common lives. DO you feel this is true
for you as well? Why or Why not?
What do you think about the fact that entertainers and sports starts are paid
such large sums of money for their work, while people in the realm of public
welfare (heathcare, food service, education, and industry) are paid a mere
pittance for jobs of public necessity?
Mr. Pulitzer you were a politician in your time as well as a businessman. Tell
us a little about your political involvement and your platforms. (Dem.
Crusaded against Big Business and corruption---ironic a little/ Republican
candidate to state legislature at only 22/ joined Liberal Republican Party
until they failed to get Horace Greeley elected to president and foldedTHEN
became Democrat)
Pulitzer As a businessman yourself, how can you defend your crusade
against big business? ( Was indicted for libel to Teddy Roosevlent and J.P
Morgan over something published in her newspaper The World)
Mr. Pulitzer and Mr. Hearst -sensational journalism was a big part of your
newspapers. What do you think of the reality tv. shows that are so popular
today?
Mr. Pulitzer. What is your involvement with the Pulitzer Prize? How did it come
about? What do you think of this use of your monetary contributions? (money
bequeathed to Columbia University is used to reward achievements in
journalism and photography annually)
Mr. Branson what difficulties did you face growing up? (dyslexia and trouble
in school due to it)
Mr. Branson- how did you decide on the name Virgin Records (employee
suggested it because they were all new at business.
Mr. Branson what are your views on the pricing of music? (tried to discount,
but the marketing agreement of the time limited that---so he began changes
leading to discounts of recorded music that followed.

Powerful Politicians and Leading Ladies

How do you feel about the rights of women today? Have women acheived
everything they are capable of in the 21st century?
We came relatively close to electing the very first female president or vice
president during recent presidential elections.
o Do you think a woman would make a good president? Why or why not?
o Do you think the presidents religious beliefs or race have impacted
their decision-making?
o Are you surprised it took so long to occur? (Same question)
o What would you say to people who disagree with your stance?
Honor killings (murder based on the notion that the actions of a woman can
bring dishonor to her family or her husbands family) happen on a regular
basis in certain cultures, and America, being a melting pot (or better defined,
a salad bowl) of many different cultures, we have in the past few decades
been forced to deal with the legal ramifications of such abuses and slaughter.
In many cases, like that of Arizonas Noor Al-Maleki, the murderer has been
given a lesser sentence due to the spiritual and cultural implications of their

decision to act. What do you feel is the appropriate action to take in this
situation in respect to both law and culture?
What do you think of Henry David Thoreaus opinion of the government in his
time and of his call to action (civil disobedience)?
Gates/Page/Zuckerberg/etc. would you be willing to give up your technology
for a week and live simply?

Awe Inspiring Activists

What social issues in your time were you most concerned with and what
prompted your interest in them? Are you proud of America for succeeding in
eradicating the social injustice you worked to correctare we working toward
it still and holding up your tradition, or have we failed you?
Ms. Dix (Dorothea) What influenced you to take on social reform for mental
patients?
What group(s) do you feel are most discriminated against today? Why? How
would you strive to end this?
We have recently celebrated Black History Month, a time of year set forth to
honor members of the African American community who have had an impact
on our world. Do you think that all school districts should be required to do
something to pay homage to these great Americans during this month or
should time be better devoted to other curriculum-related content? Should
the same be done for women as a recognized minority (in name, but not
number)?
What organizations are you associated with?
Jackie Robinson What advice would you give to young people facing
discrimination on their journey to reach their dreams?

Scientists

What have been your greatest contributions to humanity?

Is it more important to know or discover? To succeed or to try? -Miss Curie --What is your response to people who say girls cant succeed in math
and science?
Miss Curie -During your life Russian authoriities removed lab study from proper school
curriculum. How did you fel about this? What do you think of modern day STEM
programs being implimented in public schools everywhere?
Miss Curie -What are your proudest contributions to the field of science?
Miss Curie -What have you contributed to the military? In recent years we have been
embroiled in a debate as to what womens roles in the military should look like.
Obviously, in your time, women were relegated to roles like nurses and secretaries,
but with the job force wide open to women today, what do you think of women in the
military? Should they be allowed in front-line combat?

Mr. Sagan what scientists of the past do you admire? Any on this panel? In this
room?
Mr. Sagan --- what advice would you give to children who had an interest in scientific
inquiry?
Mr. Sagan --- what are your views on education and literacy?
Mr. Sagan --- in recent years NASA has slowed down their program, grounding most of
their space travel missions. Do you think this a positive or negative decision? Why?
Mr. Sagan --- you lived in a time awash with activism. What is a cause that you were
inspired by enough to act upon? Would you consider your acts to be civil
disobedience or otherwise?
Mr. Zwicky, Mr. Sagan being pioneers in fields of science, did you ever find that
people were unwilling to hear or better stated, listen to you? What did you do about
it, if anything?
Mr. Sagan/Zwicky --- would you consider yourself an idealist/transcendentalist or a
materialist?
Mr. Zwicky what humanitarian contributions have you given to the world?
Mr. Tesla how did you fund your experiments? Did you ever face trouble with this?
Mr. Tesla How as education influenced your life? (both a saving grace---inspired y
math teacher/saved from going into priesthood as ded wanted/ but later dropped
out---then when struggling Tesla considered the winter of 1886/1887 as a time

of "terrible headaches and bitter tears." During this time, he questioned the
value of his education.)

Mr.Tesla What do you think of Thoreau and his experiment at Walden?

Mr. Tesla - In 1926, Tesla commented on the ills of the social subservience of

women and the struggle of women toward gender equality, indicated that
humanity's future would be run by "Queen Bees." He believed that women
would become the dominant sex in the future.
Mr. Tesla -- Tesla, like many of his era, became a proponent of an imposed
selective breeding version of eugenics. His opinion stemmed from the belief
that humans' "pity" had interfered with the natural "ruthless workings of
nature," rather than from conceptions of a "master race" or inherent
superiority of one person over another. His advocacy of it was, however, to
push it further. In a 1937 interview, he stated:
..man'snewsenseofpitybegantointerferewiththeruthlessworkingsofnature.Theonlymethod
compatiblewithournotionsofcivilizationandtheraceistopreventthebreedingoftheunfitby
sterilizationandthedeliberateguidanceofthematinginstinct...Thetrendofopinionamong
eugenistsisthatwemustmakemarriagemoredifficult.Certainlynoonewhoisnotadesirable
parentshouldbepermittedtoproduceprogeny.Acenturyfromnowitwillnomoreoccurtoa
normalpersontomatewithapersoneugenicallyunfitthantomarryahabitualcriminal.

Tree-Huggers

What do you think of Henry David Thoreau and his experiment at Walden?
I need a place where I can go, where I can whisper what I know; where I can
whisper who I like, and where I go to see them. I need a place to spend the
day, where no one needs to go or stay; where I can take my pen and write

things down so I can read them, I need a place to go when I am lost and there
Ill find mehere I can take a pen and draw the girl I mean to be These are
lyrics from the musical Secret Garden. Do you have a secret garden ---a
place to go and think (like Thoreaus Walden)? Where is it? What effect does
it have on you? and why?
What advice would you give to students about the future of a green planet?
What do you see and the most pressing concern for our planet and its health
today