Andrew Carnegie - An Inspirational Figure in Teaching and Literature

A very wealthy entrepreneur, Andrew Carnegie islower income students that could not afford to go to
mainly known for his wealth and leadership during thecollege otherwise. Without these grants and financial
late 19th and early 20th centuries - but many peopleaid, millions of college students and graduates would
may not be aware of some of his very influentialnever have risen to the areas that they are now.
writings. After immigrating to the United States withMany people don't even realize that Andrew Carnegie
his parents from Scotland, his family was not alwaysand this organization were the driving force behind
wealthy. In fact, he started out as a normal factorywhat financial aid is now for college.
worker in a bobbin factory. It wasn't long before heAnother organization that he founded that touches
worked his way up in the company and then rose upmany peoples lives is the Carnegie Endowment For
the ranks in a telegraph company. After learning howInternational Peace. This think tank is based in
to operate a business, he build Pittsburgh's CarnegieWashington DC and is not associated with any
Steel Company. Later, he would merge this largepolitical party, yet continues to help promote
company with several others to form U.S. Steel. Withinternational engagement by the U.S. into peaceful
this venture, he made a fortune and later in life, hecooperation between nations all around the world.
concentrated more on philanthropy and helping thoseAndrew Carnegie believed that war could easily be
less fortunate than he was. He founded manyeliminated by stronger international laws and better
different corporations, museums, universities, andinternational organizations. In 1907, he wrote: "I am
more and also gave away mountains of money todrawn more to this cause than to any,". In fact, on
libraries, schools, and universities - both in the Unitedhis 75th birthday, he announced the establishment of
States and the United Kingdom.this organization with a $10 million dollar gift and
Of course, on top of his massive wealth and businesscharged the trustees of the organization to help fund
savvy sense, Andrew Carnegie was also a brilliantthe abolition of international war and gave them the
writer that penned many essays, articles,widest discretion as to their measures and policy that
contributions, and even wrote several novels. He wasthey should adopt when needed.
a frequent contributor over labor issues to many wellOne of his best known organizations is the Carnegie
known publications, helping businessmen and womenCorporation Of New York, which was founded in 1911
all over the world understand their workers and helpby Andrew Carnegie to help "promote the
to provide a better working environment foradvancement and diffusion of knowledge and
everyone. His novels include: "The Gospel Of Wealth",understanding". This organization is one of the most
"Triumphant Democracy", "Round The World", "Theinfluential American organizations and they have
Empire Of Business", "The Secret Of Business Is Thecontributed so much to the world, including: a massive
Management Of Men", "James Watt", "An Americanexpansion of higher education and even adult
Four-In-Hand In Britain", and "Problems Of Today". Hiseducation, advancement of research on early
literary works became so well known around thechildhood learning and development, major promotion
world that they inspired both writers and businessof educational and public broadcasting, advancement
men, world leaders and poverty stricken peoples, andof women and minorities in higher education, helping
anyone that they touched.to raise public understanding of both education and
His writings were so important to business and thehealth needs of children and young adults, and to help
world in general, that his own personal papers residefurther the investigation of risks of superpower
at the Library of Congress where they can beconfrontation, ethnic and civil strife, as well as nuclear
viewed by those wishing to read them in thewar. Along with all of these influences upon
Manuscript Division. Of course, most of his writingseducation, international relations, this organization also
are public domain today, and can easily be foundhelped to establish several other institutions, including
over the internet. The written work he did helped tothe Carnegie libraries, the National Research Council,
inspire so many business people all over the worldthe Russian Research Center at Harvard, the
and helped to change relationships between bothChildren's Television Workshop (including Sesame
workers and their managers. His way of viewing theStreet), and so much more.
workplace, especially industrial areas, aided in so manyIn fact, his constant contributions to libraries, schools,
different organizations being founded to help continueand universities as well as his literary works prompted
his work, his beliefs on business, and his giving nature.the United Kingdom to create the Carnegie Medal for
Some of the different organizations that he foundedthe best children's literature. There are also many
included the Carnegie Foundation For Thedifferent schools and universities named after him,
Advancement Of Teaching, which was created to beincluding Carnegie College in Dunfermline. And, believe
an independent research center that would helpit or not, he even has both a dinosaur and a cactus
those in any teaching area. The organization's primarynamed after him, the Diplodocus Carnegiei (he
activities include writing and research over everysponsored the expedition that discovered it's
different level of education to help promote higherremains) and the Saguaro Cactus's scientific name,
education and a higher standard for education forCarnegiea.
every child all over the world. One of the main thingsWithout his massive contributions to teaching,
that the Carnegie Foundation For The Advancementliterature, and his commitment to education in general
Of Teaching helped to create was federal aid forall over the world, many of the great institutions and
higher education as well as Pell Grants, to help thoseorganizations we know today would not exist.