PEOPLE OF THE PERIOD

Southland Times, Issue 18822, 15 May 1920, Page 8

PEOPLE OF THE PERIOD

PEN PORTRAITS OF PROMINENT PERSONALITIES. (By Critic us.) 0 -, 6 No. 33. AN ANONYMOUS BENEFACTOR. During the last few months the identity of one of the great millionaire benefactors in the United States has been disclosed, While Rockefeller, Carnegie, Frick and others were prominent in the public eye by reason of the immense sums they gave to public use, there existed a certain “Mr Smith” who amongst other big things donated £2,000,000 to the development of the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For many years people knew that George Eastman of Kodak fame was a liberal patron of public institutions, but he was not suspected of being the “angel” of the great technical school in Boston. As a matter of fact the credit for this work was given to several millionaires, and it is recorded that two very rich men once openly accused each other of having made this handsome grant. Both denied having made the benefaction, and both were satisfied that the denial was inaccurate. On another occasion the wife of a multi-mil-lionaire declared positively that her husband was the guilty party. The drama embodied in this “Mr Smith’s” career is a characteristic episode in contemporary America. The year of Lincoln’s election George Eastman, a boy of six years, moved to Rochester with his widowed mother. By her zealous effort ho was kept in school until he was 14, and then he began to work. Chance placed him in a bank, although experimental chemistry was his real interest. It was the day when the beginnings of practical scientific research were laying the foundations of great industrial developments. George Eastman, the bank clerk, bored inexpressibly by eleven hours’ daily grind over the ledger, still found the spirit to let his imagination piny over the problems of the camera during leisure momenta. He made inventions out of which films were developed, and so built the basis of the industry with which he has been identified. As with many another inventor, his early days were filled with struggle. Residents of Rochester say that thirtyfive years ago the man now known as their most prominent citizen was considered a crank. His extreme enthusiasm for his inventions seemed to put him outside the ranks of the sober-minded. This story lacks one romantic phase common to the experience of most young inventors. There was never any serious lack of capital. During those years in which Mr Eastman had toiled at the desk in the bank he had acquired the habits of thrift. He had saved in anticipation of the day when he would need money to start in his own business enterprise. These savings were not large, only a few thousands of dollars, but they were sufficient. As the business developed and more capital became needed, a substantial Rochester manufacturer, who was willing to hazard a few thousand dollars on the inventions and the man back of them, became interested. This man died a few months ago, and the estate lie left, chiefly the increment which came from his initial small investment, is -said to have reached £3,500,000. This enormous growth, the development of a small business built on a few' original inventions to a series of important national and international undertakings, is, of course, typical of this generation. As vividly as anywhere else, however, the experiences of “Mr Smith - ’ show how the hi-t thirty years have compressed within themselves experiences which, in simpler ages, were the accumulation of centuries. The bunk clerk of the early eighties has run the gamut. Eighteen thousand men and women operate ins factories. His house to-day is a duett! establishment. There ho lives alone ,a bachelor. Music- lie has had installed an enormous pipe organ in his house, and a quintet i? regularly engaged to entertain him during the week—and pictures gathered from about tiic world are his personal avocations. Having no immediate family, and having reached that stage in his industry where large organisation has brought stability, he has turned to public interests. The aims of Mr Eastman’s public interest are easily stated. “It is necessary.” he said recently, “tor people to have an interest in life outside the occupation they follow. Work, it very great deal of work, is drudgery. When I was ;>. young man 1 worked at a ledger eleven houis a day, totaling figures; by no nurdc could a performance such as that be made alluring. It was sheer work, unpleasant, but inescapable in civilization. The situation. I find, unfionp: a very large pat: “f tic’ population. I sc.; no possible hot;.; of porting frem this condition. !!o;::o; employment were accordingly inevitably shortened, and as production increase?—as it mu U- in; rec :c - t hay must be still further shortened. This tendency follows from the irksome and wearing nature of industrial employment. Under certain cemu/uns it has been :■ irrerr'l"/ that people sing or their cannot imagine successful sin trim; in a room f id ■■crew imchiny! Tiv nature of • !• • in., a-ry U agaao-g ;t. cm men! !y we face the fact that working Urn: going to ne . !n.; 1 n-d in orb- rbv pie may live full .n ; in ; ; y P cm. V.’imr hr.wf, cr. U going to ir- done with the !/<■ tire l!; t J ■ old nine - !; I am not al ad of the opia.ion that people have been ground down by industry, I do think that v. - ; have never created outside interests, ’.Usurc is unit mtful h■■■■ anise it is not used productively. V,'c do noi know how to use it fmillLilly. Do not imagine the: I am a reformt'r —far from, that, T am interested in ruit.-d- personally, an 1 I am led iherrby merr-iy to want to share my pleasure with others.” Music attracts him powerfully mod he is ambitious for Hot hw-t er in this He'd. “For a great many years I have horn connect:' 1 with musical organisation.:: in Roehreter.” he si. ties, “I have helped to support a symphony orchestra. Recurrent!’- wo have faced the fact that what was needrd was a body of trained listener;: quite as much as a body of competent \ ;rf:#rmer.--. It is fa’riy easy to employ skilful musicians. It is impossible to buy an appreciation of music. Yet, without appreciation, without the- p.rcsenec- of a large body of people who understand mn-ic and who get joy out of it, any attempt to develop the musical resource;- of any city is doomed to failure. Because in Rochester we realise this, we have undertaken a scheme for building musical capacity on a large scale from childhood. The Eastman School of Music i.s already in the process of development, using as its nucleus the school maintained in connection with the University of Rochester. Wo nowhave under way plans for a large organisation. Training from early childhood to virtuosity is to bo developed. In the public schools musical courses are offered under the direction of the municipal authorities. Instruments have been provided so that every child who has musical capacity may obtain musical training. Orchestras for the schools are under way. I do not imagine that music is going to occupy all of the leisure interests of people. I know that my own interests are varied. I cm fond of athletics; I do not know of anything that I enjoy more than a good boxing match. All sorts of sports, recreations and diversions must he developed if we are to make full use of our leisure. In this field certainly it is not a case of righting old wrongs, but of creating something entirely new. Interests must be built up if we are to get the happiest use of leisure. Incidentally, in the pursuance of this ideal I should like to sea Rochester become a great musical centre, known Vvt t 1 ’- rnt’re r’-b T!— !■

no reason to prevent this city from getting the sort of fame which comes from the possession of institutions which are foremost in developing gifted musicians and -which are distinguished in the stimulation of the musical appreciation of the great body of citizens . At any rate that is the ambition, to which I am now lending my energies.” A list of Mr Eastman’s gifts to public benefits is interesting, and while it is not so ponderous as those of the bigger-money-ed men, it is of proud proportions. Mr Eastman has given sums to many organisations of entirely different aims. Among his more important donations are the following: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, upward of £2,000,000; stock of the Eastman. Kodak Company to employees, £1,200,000; Eastman School of Music, £800,000; Rochester Dental Dispensary, £300,000; National Association of Audubon Societies, £400; Yerkes Observatory, £600; musical instruments for public schools, £3,000; Young Women’s Christian Association and Infants’ Summer Home, £5,000; Rochester Friendly Home, £lo,ooo} Shelter of Children’s Society, £9,000; Stevens Institute of Technology, £10,000; University of Rochester, for Eastman School of Music, £800,000; for general endowment, £120,000, and for a science building, £15,000; Homoeopathic Hospital, £15,000; Rochester parks, £20,000; Hahnemann Hospital, £20,000; State and Municipal Research Bureau, £35,000; war relief, £45,000; Red Cross, 1917, £50,000; Young Men’s Christian Association, £60,000; Tuskegee Institute, £70,000; The Mechanics Institute of Rochester, £75,000; Rochester General Hospital, £100,000; University of Rochester Fund for Women’s College, £100,000; The War Chest, 1918, £100,000; expenses of War Chest, £20,000; .Chamber of Commerce Building, £115,000; addition to Chamber of Commerce Building, £150,000 —a total of £5,346,000. Omitting the more than £2OO, 000 given for war relief and the £1,200,000 given to the employees, Mr Eastman’s gifts seem to have two principal objects in view—practical education and the providing of the right things to occupy the leisure hours of the public. No doubt his experience at the head of a great institution requiring specialists in many lines has demonstrated to him the value of a technical education, and the still further value of that education when it is based upon a knowledge of the arts. Mr Eastman employs no committee or commission to handle his bequests. He takes a strong personal interest in each one, an interest so deep that one is led to believe that his real avocation is useful giving rather than music.