What measures greatness? Some believe it is the possession of power or wealth or how one is perceived by others. Greatness is measured not by the tangible items one possesses, but instead by the way one carries themselves. While William Howard Taft, our twenty-seventh president, is not considered a great president, he did however live an accomplished life. Taft’s greatness can be measured by his character, intelligence, vision, decisiveness, and soft skills. For it is all of these elements together, that truly makes a man great.
William Howard Taft was born September 15, 1857 in Cincinnati Ohio. He grew up loving sports and outdoors activities despite his obesity problem. Taft showed leadership qualities early when he was second in his class at Woodward High School, one of the most respected schools in the area (website 1). He lived up to rather high expectations, in that he had five siblings to compete with and his father, Alfonso Taft, had long governmental experience. Taft’s father had a law degree and served as the Secretary of War and Attorney General under the Grant Administration. These highly respected jobs made William constantly strive to do better and to excel in everything he did.
Taft, like his father, wished to be a lawyer. He studied both at Yale and the University of Yale Law School and graduated second in his class. After passing the bar exams in 1880 he met his wife, Helen “Nellie” Herron. Nellie’s father was also a lawyer and at one time a partner with Rutherford B. Hayes. Her father once took her to the White House to visit Hayes and his wife, and Nellie committed that one day she would be First Lady (website 1). Which, in some part, is why Nellie agreed to marry Taft; she saw a future in this bright young man. Soon after the marriage, Taft received a job as Hamilton County assistant prosecutor in 1881. This first taste of the judicial system set William Taft to dream big and hope to one day prosecute on the Supreme Court....