Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/General Education Board

GENERAL EDUCATION BOARD, an organization established for the purpose of distributing gifts made by John D. Rockefeller for educational purposes, and chartered by Congress in 1903. Over $50,000,000 have been given by Mr. Rockefeller to the Board. The Board generally makes its gifts to agencies and institutions already in existence and does not undertake independent educational work. The gifts of the Board are mainly devoted to the promotion of practical farming in Southern States; to the establishment of public high schools in Southern States; to the promotion of institutions of higher learning; and to schools for negroes. For all these purposes the Board has expended large sums, which, of course, were assigned only after a careful study of the needs and conditions of the recipients. The investigations which preceded the gifts of the Board were perhaps of as great importance to the development of education in the United States as the gifts themselves. The Board consists of 17 members and maintains headquarters in New York City. In 1920 the president was W. Buttrick, and the secretary, A. Flexner.