J.D. Rockefeller
...rls taking commercial courses to learn business. They were married on September 8, 1864, after a nine-year courtship. Six months later they moved into a modest house without servants. They had five children; Elizabeth or “Bessie”, Alice, Alta, Edith and John D. Jr. As a father, he maintained a constant but distanced influence on his children. He never revealed his financial status to his children, wanting them to be hard working and thrifty, rather than spendthrift and indulgent. They were supposed to do chores to earn their pocket money: two cents for killing flies and for not eating candy! The children were supposed to note down each gain and payment in their own “Ledger A”. However, he was not always the strict and stern father. He would often play with the children and teach them to swim, row, skate and ride horses. He was a good husband too. Cettie had been ill for the last several years of her life and from 1909 onwards she was confined to a wheelchair. But Rockefeller took excellent care of her. He would excuse himself from the dinner parties and visit Cettie at home, in the bedroom picking up a flower or a tidbit from the dinner conversation. John D. Rockefeller was the head of the Standard Oil Company. He also owned iron mines in Timberland. And invested in many other industries, such as manufacturing and transportation. He was called the president of the Standard Oil Company until 1911 even though he retired in 1896. At this time he was fifty-seven years old and decided that the others should take over the everyday leadership of the company. In 1911 the United States Supreme Court said that the Standard Oil Company was violating the anti-trust laws they ordered the corporation to dissolve, and the thirty-eight companies then separated into individual firms. At this time John D. Rockefeller owned about a third of the company’s total shares. “His efficiency in business changed how the industry worked all together.” (Capablanca, 2). After his retirement, he focused on philanthropy. In doing this he gave away most of his fortune to do good. He felt that it was a man’s religious duty to earn all he could honestly and to give all he could. He made contributions to his own church and also to other denominations. He also took part in the founding of the University of Chicago. Rockefeller said he would give $600,000 of the first million to start the school if others would contribute with him. The doors of the university were opened in 1890. In the next twenty years he donated a large amount of money which helped build up the university, but it was imperative that others contributed as well. In 1910 he presented the university with a farewell gift, which was $10,000,000. In total he contributed $35,000,000 to the University of Chicago. He said that the institution was the property of the people and should be controlled, conducted, and supported by the people. John D. Rockefeller realized that it was difficult to give large amounts of money to human welfare. He helped create the method of corporate philanthropy. This created charitable corporations, which had access to large amounts of money, and they were managed by the trustees and were overseen by officers that were specially trained. With the advise of Reverend Fredrick T. Gates and his son John D. Rockefeller Jr., he established many institutions that are very important in American History. In 1901 the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research was founded. It is now know as The Rockefeller University. The purpose of the institute was to find the causes and cures for many diseases. From here many cures for diseases have been discovered. It has revolutionized what medicine is today, by contributing new knowledge in many scientific techniques. Its scientists have discovered things such as the serum treatment for spinal meningitis, and pneumonia, the blood vessel surgery, the preservation of whole blood, and the identification of DNA as the most important genetic material. In 1902 John D. Rockefeller established The General Education Board. This was for the “promotion of education within the United States of America without the distinction of race, sex or creed.” (Poole, 3). It also contributed $325,000,000 to the improvement of education. It placed emphasis on higher education including medical schools. In the south the Board helps schools for white and African American students. From their work grew the 4-H Club movement and federal programs for home and farm extension. Rockefeller created the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission for the Eradication of Hookworm Disease. This combined his interest for the south and his interest for public health. The purpose of this commission was to bring everyone together to help prevent and attempt to find a cure for hookworm disease. The commission had a large campaign of medication and public education in eleven of the southern states, paid the salaries of those that work in the field, and sponsored campaigns for public education and the treatment of infected individuals. Because of this program, more than two million people were taught the facts about hookworm disease and its prevention. It was extremely successful and a new agency was created to expand the work to other countries and other diseases. In 1913 the Rockefeller Foundation was founded. It promoted the well being of mankind throughout the world. Throughout the years the foundation has assisted things such as medical education, social research, the arts, and increasing food production. The foundation established the international health division, which worked against various diseases, on 6 continents, and many islands. This made all nations recognize the need for environmental sanitation and public health. It’s research established the ways of modern public health services. The Rockefe...