A Favor of Sweetness
A marvel from the sweet side of history.
Milton Snavely Hershey. The name may sound familiar, and if your guess were him being the founder of America’s favorite candy bar, you’d be right. Not only was he known for his chocolate company, or escaping the sinking of the Titanic, but for his legendary philanthropy too.
At the time, as Hershey and his wife were unable to have children, they decided to found a school, and thus Hershey Industrial School was established in 1909.
Nine years after its establishment, Hershey transferred the majority of his assets — including control of The Hershey Company — to the Milton Hershey School Trust fund for the school’s benefit. As the trust fund has the majority of voting shares in The Hershey Company, it could keep control of it.
In 1951, the school was renamed to the Milton Hershey School. The school also retains 100% of control of Hotel Hershey and Hersheypark, (owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company), among other properties.
A man who was known for placing his workers’ well-being before profits, his philanthropy ultimately became the stuff of legends, such as the…
