William David Coolidge was born in Hudson, Massachusetts, the son of a farmer and a dressmaker. As a young boy, he worked in a shoe factory to help support his family. After attending public schools, Coolidge funded his own college education by borrowing money and earning scholarships and fellowships. With a degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Coolidge went to Germany to study physics. After earning his Ph.D. with high honors, he returned to MIT to do research. Although Coolidge was content there, he was lured in 1905 to General Electric Company's research laboratory, which offered to double his MIT salary. Coolidge had avoided a career in industry after experiencing factory work, but General Electric (GE) promised him freedom to pursue his own interests as well as the company's commercial research goals. As it turned out, he remained at the lab for his entire career, like...