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JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER:CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY OR ROBBER BARON
Rania Elmrini, Alicia
Cradle
and Marilyn Tenecela
AN INTRODUCTION TO JOHN D ROCKEFELLER
John D Rockefeller was a natural businessman with a strong moral sense and intense
religious convictions in which later on in his life he dedicated unmatched wealth to charity.
Within his lifetime, Rockefeller helped launch the field of biomedical research, funding
scientific investigations that resulted in vaccines for things like meningitis and yellow fever.
He revolutionized medical training in the United States, and built China’s first proper
medical school.
He championed the cause of public sanitation, creating schools of public health at Johns
Hopkins and Harvard, and helped lead major international public health efforts against
hookworm, malaria, yellow fever, and other maladies.
He vigorously promoted the cause of education nationwide, without distinction of sex,
race, or creed.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
Mr. Rockefeller's benefactions from 1855 to 1934 totaled $530,853,632, of which the
larger amount went to the four great foundations he established for the purpose of
managing his charities.
They were the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, the Rockefeller Foundation, the
Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial, in memory of his wife, and the General Education
Board. The University of Chicago was another large beneficiary.
Rockefeller was chiefly interested in education, scientific research, the Baptist Church and
other religious or social organizations. His chief agency of distribution was the Rockefeller
Foundation, established in 1913 with a $100,000,000 capital fund, later increased by
$25,000,000 in 1917. It received up to 1934 from Mr. Rockefeller $182,851,480.90. This
organization was formed "to promote the well-being of mankind throughout the world."
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research - In 1901,
Rockefeller created an organization to study the cause and
prevention of disease. Later known as Rockefeller University.
Rockefeller University is country’s first institution devoted
exclusively to biomedical research.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
General Education Board - 1902, the GEB supported a wide variety of
educational improvements, concentrating attention on medical schools and the
improvement of public education in the South. Before it was phased out in 1965,
the GEB distributed more than $300 million. Rockefeller once quoted that the
GEB was for “the promotion of education within the United States of America,
without distinction of race, sex, or creed.” Rockefeller made an initial obligation
of $1 million to the organization, but his contributions quickly grew to $43
million by 1907. The total of these donations marked, at the time, made GEB the
largest gift to a philanthropic organization in the history of the United States.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
Rockefeller Sanitary Commission Established
- 1909 to address the problem of hookworm disease,
the Commission mounted massive educational
campaigns in the South. Later, efforts were launched
overseas before the organization was closed in 1915.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
The Rockefeller Foundation - The Foundation provided funding
for public health, medical schools, famine prevention, the social
sciences, the arts and many other endeavors. Outstanding
contributions in the form of funds, research, and fieldwork were
made by the foundation in the battle against hookworm, malaria,
yellow fever, and other diseases throughout the world. The
Rockefeller Foundation remains one of the world's leading
philanthropic forces today.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial - John D. Rockefeller, Sr. founded the
Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial in October 1918 in memory of his wife. The
State of New York incorporated the Memorial for general philanthropic purposes.
During the early years, the Memorial gave support to the Young Men's Christian
Association, the Young Women's Christian Association, the Boy Scouts, and the Girl
Scouts. Considerable contributions from the Memorial supported organized
emergency relief efforts in China and Europe. In the early twenties, the Memorial
appropriated $785,000 to the American Relief Administration and to its affiliate, the
Student Friendship Fund for food and clothing for teachers and students in Russian
universities.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
University of Chicago - Rockefeller instituted the challenge
grant approach to establish what was initially a Baptist institution of
higher learning. He offered to make a large donation if a similar
amount could be raised from other sources within a certain time
frame; he favored this approach because it demonstrated a base of
support for a project and he would turn to this form of philanthropy
many times over the years. Rockefeller was also a generous
benefactor of Columbia, Harvard, Spelman, and Yale.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion it’s obvious that though many of Rockefeller’s means in
creating his capital were questionable and slightly immoral he was still a
giving humanitarian who gave back to the world through both money and
through his ability to make petroleum affordable to all classes of society.
Rockefeller gave away nearly half of his fortune before his death. Churches,
medical foundations, universities, and centers for the arts received hefty
sums of oil money. Whether he was driven by good will, conscience, or his
devout faith in God is unknown. Regardless, he became a hero to many
enterprising Americans.