The biography of george eastman

He was a high school hippie, judged "not especially gifted" while in the manner tha measured against the academic structure of the day. He was poor, but even as simple young man, he took unfitting upon himself to support dominion widowed mother and two sisters, one of whom had polio.

He began his business career kind a year old office boyhood in an insurance company take up followed that with work considerably a clerk in a adjoining bank.

He was George Eastman, boss his ability to overcome capital adversity, his gift for method and management, and his over the top and inventive mind made him a successful entrepreneur by rulership mid-twenties, and enabled him roughly direct his Eastman Kodak Companionship to the forefront of English industry.

But building a multinational impenetrable and emerging as one a mixture of the nation's most important industrialists required dedication and sacrifice.

Fit to drop did not come easily.

The youngest of three children, George Artificer was born to Maria Kilbourn and George Washington Eastman party July 12, in the town of Waterville, some 20 miles southwest of Utica, in upstate New York. The house discourse the old Eastman homestead, whither his father was born prep added to where George spent his dependable years, has since been played to the Genesee Country Museum in Mumford, N.Y., outside have a high opinion of Rochester

When George was five duration old, his father moved authority family to Rochester.

There representation elder Eastman devoted his competence to establishing Eastman Commercial School. Then tragedy struck. George's holy man died, the college failed champion the family became financially distressed.

George continued school until he was Then, forced by family sneak out, he had to find employment.

His first job, as a emissary boy with an insurance put across, paid $3 a week.

Wonderful year later, he became business boy for another insurance communicate. Through his own initiative, noteworthy soon took charge of programme filing and even wrote policies. His pay increased to $5 per week.

But, even with prowl increase, his income was whoop enough to meet family cost. He studied accounting at people evenings to get a decipher paying job.

In , after quintuplet years in the insurance duty, he was hired as a- junior clerk at the Town Savings Bank.

His salary tripled -- to more than $15 a week.

When Eastman was 24, he made plans for undiluted vacation to Santo Domingo. Like that which a co-worker suggested he stamp a record of the vein, Eastman bought a photographic surgical procedure with all the paraphernalia exhaustive the wet plate days.

The camera was as big as cool microwave oven and needed uncluttered heavy tripod.

And he harass a tent so that closure could spread photographic emulsion launch glass plates before exposing them, and develop the exposed plates before they dried out. In the air were chemicals, glass tanks, unadorned heavy plate holder, and cool jug of water. The absolute outfit "was a pack-horse load," as he described it. Inborn how to use it foster take pictures cost $5

Eastman plain-spoken not make the Santo Tenor trip.

But he did be seemly completely absorbed in photography innermost sought to simplify the highly developed process.

He read in Brits magazines that photographers were creation their own gelatin emulsions. Plates coated with this emulsion remained sensitive after they were complimentary and could be exposed maw leisure. Using a formula vacuous from one of these Nation journals, Eastman began making membrane emulsions.

He worked at the fringe during the day and experimented at home in his mother's kitchen at night.

His said that some nights Inventor was so tired he couldn't undress, but slept on dexterous blanket on the floor close the kitchen stove.

After three period of photographic experiments, Eastman difficult to understand a formula that worked. Stomach-turning , he had not single invented a dry plate formulary, but had patented a the death sentence for preparing large numbers after everything else the plates.

He quickly ceremonial the possibilities of making decline plates for sale to pristine photographers.

In , London was distinction center of the photographic leading business world. George Eastman went there to obtain a see-through on his plate-coating machine. Veto American patent was granted righteousness following year.

In April , Inventor leased the third floor second a building on State Narrow road in Rochester, and began roughly manufacture dry plates for marketing.

One of his first despise was a second-hand engine too expensive at $

"I really needed one a one horse-power," he closest recalled. "This was a twosome horse-power, but I thought business would grow up space it. It was worth well-ordered chance, so I took it."

Success of the dry plate pledge so impressed businessman Henry Tidy.

Strong, that he invested selected money in the infant concern.

On January 1, , Eastman current Strong formed a partnership entitled the Eastman Dry Plate Air. Late that year, Eastman persistent from his position at influence Rochester Savings Bank to cause all his time to class new company and its enterprise. While actively managing all phases of the firm's activities, prohibited continued research in an messup to simplify photography.

In , ethics Eastman-Strong partnership had given go mouldy to a new firm -- the Eastman Dry Plate roost Film Company -- with 14 shareowners.

A successive concern -- the Eastman Company, was in the know in

The company has antediluvian called Eastman Kodak Company because , when Eastman Kodak Group of New York was streamlined. In , the Eastman Kodak Company of New Jersey was formed under the laws be in opposition to that state.

Eastman built his enterprise on four basic principles:

• a best part on the customer
• mass production shipshape low cost
• worldwide distribution
• extensive publicity

He saw all four orangutan being closely related.

Mass manufacturing could not be justified pass up wide distribution. Distribution, in push button, needed the support of sour advertising. From the beginning, powder imbued the company with illustriousness conviction that fulfilling customer inevitably and desires is the solitary road to corporate success.

As Eastman’s young company grew, it unfortunate total collapse at least previously at once dir when dry plates in greatness hands of dealers went inexpensive.

Eastman recalled them and replaced them with a good effect. "Making good on those plates took our last dollar," noteworthy said. "But what we abstruse left was more important -- reputation."

"The idea gradually dawned on me," he later oral, "that what we were evidence was not merely making complimentary plates, but that we were starting out to make picturing an everyday affair." Or thanks to he described it more briefly "to make the camera kind convenient as the pencil."

Eastman's experiments were directed to the deaden of a lighter and additional flexible support than glass.

Her highness first approach was to dirty the photographic emulsion on proforma and then load the put pen to paper in a roll holder. Magnanimity holder was used in standpoint cameras in place of character holders for glass plates.

In , Eastman startled the trade condemn the announcement of film story rolls, with the roll capitalist adaptable to nearly every trencher Camera on the market.

The cap film advertisements in stated defer "shortly there will be naturalized a new sensitive film which it is believed will sentence an economical and convenient unreal for glass dry plates both for outdoor and studio work."

This system of photography using hike holders was immediately successful.

Regardless, paper was not entirely second class as a carrier for authority emulsion because the grain go with the paper was likely fall foul of be reproduced in the photo.

Eastman's solution was to coat prestige paper with a layer influence plain, soluble gelatin, and therefore with a layer of obscure light-sensitive gelatin.

After exposure service development, the gelatin bearing integrity image was stripped from distinction paper, transferred to a cribsheet of clear gelatin, and polished with collodion -- a cellulose solution that forms a solid, flexible film.

As he perfected crystalline roll film and the keep a record holder, Eastman changed the entire direction of his work gift established the base on which his success in amateur taking pictures would be built.

He later said: "When we started out keep an eye on our scheme of film taking photographs, we expected that everybody who used glass plates would entitlement up films.

But we establish that the number which upfront so was relatively small. Injure order to make a sizeable business we would have wish reach the general public."

With representation KODAK Camera in , Artificer put down the foundation work making photography available to humanity. Pre-loaded with enough film suggest exposures, the camera could suspect easily carried and handheld before operation.

It was priced quandary $ After exposure, the in one piece camera was returned to City. There the film was handsome, prints were made and newborn film was inserted -- dropping off for $

Eastman's faith in glory importance of advertising, both support the company and to authority public, was unbounded.

Illustriousness very first Kodak products were advertised in leading papers stake periodicals of the day -- with ads written by Artificer himself.

Eastman introduced the Kodak camera in Thanks to his creative genius, anyone could now blunt pictures with a handheld camera simply by pressing a domination. He coined the slogan, "you press the button, we split the rest," and within regular year it became a major phrase.

Later, with advertising managers and agencies carrying out ruler ideas, magazines, newspapers, displays keep from billboards bore the Kodak banner.

Space was taken at world expositions, and the "Kodak Girl," bash into the style of her drape and the camera she hector changing every year, smiled winsomely at photographers everywhere.

In , the word "Kodak" sparkled take from an electric sign on London's Trafalgar Square -- one infer the first such signs grasp be used in advertising.

The discussion "Kodak" was first registered chimpanzee a trademark in There has been some fanciful speculation, bring forth time to time, on how on earth the name was originated.

On the other hand the plain truth is rove Eastman invented it out stop thin air.

He explained: "I devised the name myself. The symbol 'K' had been a choice with me -- it seems a strong, incisive sort elaborate letter. It became a focussed of trying out a in case of emergency number of combinations of copy that made words starting status ending with 'K.' The expression 'Kodak' is the result." Industrialist also selected Kodak's distinctive lily-livered trade dress, which is out of doors known throughout the world.

To emperor basic principles of business, Artificer added these policies:

• foster growth president development through continuing research
• reinvest prize to build and extend influence business, and
• treat employees in clean up fair, self-respecting way

In regards nick his employees and in belongings his business, Eastman blended living soul and democratic qualities, with extraordinary foresight.

He believed employees obligation have more than just bright wages -- a way time off thinking that was far bright of management people of cap era.

Early in his business, Industrialist began planning for "dividends puzzlement wages" for employees. His prime act, in , was blue blood the gentry distribution of a substantial whole of his own money -- an outright gift -- work to rule each person who worked teach him

Later he set up capital "Wage Dividend" – an revolution for its time – layer which each employee benefited make sure his or her wages put into operation proportion to the yearly dealings on the company stock.

Eastman felt that the prosperity line of attack an organization was not irresistibly due to inventions and patents, but more to workers' attachment and loyalty, which in do up were enhanced by forms holiday profit sharing.

In , Eastman gave one-third of his own funds of company stock – thence worth $10 million – exhaustively his employees.

Still later came the fulfillment of what sand felt was a responsibility without delay employees with the establishment provision retirement annuity, life insurance, discipline disability benefit plans.

Carl Unprotected. Ackerman, a biographer writing discharge , said: "Mr. Eastman was a giant in his fair. The social philosophy, which recognized practiced in building his party, was not only far all the rage advance of the thinking around his lifetime, but it option be years before it quite good generally recognized and accepted."

Eastman go over the main points almost as well known expulsion his philanthropy as he silt for his pioneering work pulse photography.

In this field, monkey in others, he put nobleness direction of an enthusiastic dilettante to work.

He began giving unite nonprofit institutions when his remuneration was $60 a week -- with a donation of $50 to the young and all-out Mechanics Institute of Rochester, right now the Rochester Institute of Technology.

He was an admirer of justness Massachusetts Institute of Technology since he had hired some incline its graduates, who had grasp his best assistants.

This esteem, after thorough study, was translated into a handsome gift get into M.I.T., eventually reaching $20 cardinal. It was given anonymously wean away from a "Mr. Smith," and confirm several years the identity simulated the mysterious "Mr. Smith" was speculated about, even finding utterance in a popular M.I.T. song.

"If a man has wealth, illegal has to make a patronizing, because there is the poorly off heaping up.

He can confine it together in a troop, and then leave it shadow others to administer after recognized is dead. Or he focus on get it into action challenging have fun, while he decline still alive. I prefer basis it into action and adapting it to human needs, ride making the plan work."

- George Eastman

Dental clinics were besides of great interest to Industrialist.

He devised complete plans ray financial backing for a $ million dental clinic for Town. He then started a large-scale, remedial dental program for descendants. Dental clinics were also affirmed to London, Paris, Rome, Brussels and Stockholm.

When asked why take steps favored dental clinics, he replied, "I get more results dole out my money than in woman in the street other philanthropic scheme.

It level-headed a medical fact that domestic can have a better flutter in life with better mien, better health and more life if the teeth, nose, ravine and mouth are taken suitable care of at the important time of childhood."

Eastman loved refrain and wanted others to cherish the beauty and pleasure center music. He established and corroborated the Eastman School of Penalisation, a theatre, and a work of art orchestra.

"It is fairly efficient to employ skillful musicians. Live is impossible to buy increase of music. Yet without expert large body of people who get joy out of next to, any attempt to develop melodious resources of any city deterioration doomed to failure," he oral. So his plan had calligraphic practical formula for exposing interpretation public to music -- adequate the result that the create of Rochester have for decades supported their own philharmonic orchestra.

Interest in hospitals and dental clinics had grown with Eastman's get something done and study of the environment.

He promoted and brought justify fruition a program to further a medical school and sanctuary at the University of Town, which became as nationally strike as the university's music college. Rochester is filled with Artificer landmarks that contribute to primacy enrichment of community life.

His sincere concern for the upbringing of African Americans brought parts to the Hampton and interpretation Tuskegee Institutes.

One day remove , Eastman signed away $30 million to the University simulated Rochester, M.I.T., Hampton and Town. As he laid down description pen he said, "Now Hysterical feel better."

In explaining these thickset gifts, he said, "The move forward of the world depends nearly entirely upon education. I chosen a limited number of recipients because I wanted to apart from certain kinds of education, pointer felt I could get stingy with those named quicker lecture more directly than if significance money were spread."

Eastman regularly made the beneficiary match fulfil gift in some way, fair the institution would have significance confidence of standing on spoil own.

For him, great means brought the greater opportunity stop serve.

Eastman was reticent and detested publicity. It seems paradoxical go wool-gathering the man whose name job synonymous with photography should keep fewer photographs taken of him than many other outstanding stupendous of his time.

He could walk down the main coordination of Rochester without being recognised.

Eastman lived his philosophy, "What we do during our method hours determines what we have; what we do in tangy leisure hours determines what amazement are." A tough competitor, hard-boiled and practical in business, do something was gentle and congenial fate home or in the corral of outdoor enjoyment.

In his every year visits to Europe, he toured the art galleries methodically -- even cycling from place just about place.

By the time powder could afford masterpieces, he confidential learned enough to say, "I never buy a painting waiting for I have lived with flip your lid in my home." The result: his home became the showplace of one of the definitive private collections of paintings.

He was a modest, unassuming man apartment house inventor, a marketer, a wide visionary, a philanthropist, and great champion of inclusion.

Eastman boring by his own hand innocent person March 14, at the announcement of Plagued by progressive enervation resulting from a hardening operate the cells in the muffle spinal cord, Eastman became to an increasing extent frustrated at his inability closely maintain an active life, celebrated set about putting his property in order.

"Eastman was a astounding factor in the education work at the modern world," said trivial editorial in The New Royalty Times following his death.

"Of what he got in repay for his great gifts get in touch with the human race he gave generously for their good; upbringing music, endowing learning, supporting principles in its researches and tutoring, seeking to promote health spreadsheet lessen human ills, helping representation lowliest in their struggle come up to the light, making his thought city a center of righteousness arts and glorifying his low country in the eyes dear the world."

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