The Chocolate Man: Milton Hershey

Milton S. Hershey was a wonderful and inventive man. He had many struggles and fails, but in the end, he was rewarded with a great success. His life was not filled with a mass of education, but his smarts were beyond enough for his work. Milton was an entrepreneur dedicated to his love of chocolate from the start. His interest begun as a small child but he stayed strong through the end. Milton Hershey was a skilled manufacturer and philanthropist. He cared deeply about others around him, and would go out of his way anytime for someone else. This is a description of his rise to fame and success.

Milton Hershey was born on September 13, 1857 in a small town by Lancaster, Pennsylvania called Derry Church. His parents were Henry and Veronica “Fanny” Hershey. They were very strict with him, and made him abide by their rules. Milton went to school to only fourth grade. He had already been to seven schools by this time, since his family moved around so much. In 1971, Hershey began to apprentice a German-English newspaper writer, but did not like the job and had the arrangement ended immediately. He then apprenticed a candy maker named Joseph Royer in Lancaster for four years. He had a knack for it and his chocolate interest was sparked.

In 1876, he decided then to move to Philadelphia and start his own candy business. In this shop, he struggled for six long, brutal years before going out of business. He had other failed attempts in New York, Denver and in Chicago. Hershey came very close to having to claim bankruptcy. He wanted to try once more back closer to his home in Lancaster. He felt he would have greater luck in a city he knew. In 1886, he started his factory. It was named the Lancaster Caramel Company, because he was mainly focusing on caramels. During this time, he met and married Catherine Sweeny. After 12 wonderful years of success, he sold the company for one million dollars. He dedicated his time to perfecting the art of chocolate and looking for the perfect mixture that will be good enough for him to sell to his customers. Milton moved back to his family’s farm to do so.

He did this so he could use his own ingredients to make the chocolate, such as fresh milk. Hershey was the first American to make a milk chocolate formula. He introduced the molded chocolate bar we all know and love. He started a new factory very near to Derry Church in 1903. It was completed in 1905. This was the business that was going to be known as the largest chocolate manufacturing plant in the world. In 1907, he introduced the famous Hershey Kiss. This was one of the simple products that Hershey liked to sell. He thought that if the products were simple and cheap, people will buy it.

Milton Hershey wanted a town for his family and workers. He imagined a town built around the factory itself. Hershey decided to make his dream come true. He hired special architects to build his homes for the residents. He also wanted an inexpensive public transportation system. In 1905, Milton established the Hershey Trust Fund to help with the financial development in the community. Hershey also made schools including Milton Hershey School which was for orphan boys so they can get an education that he didn’t really get to have. He and his wife Kitty, which is what they called her, made this is 1909. They made this school to help children because they could not have children of their own. There was also a tuition-free college so people who had little education could learn for a very minimal price. If they did not have to pay, Milton thought they would try harder to learn and become a more educated person. Milton was very into making sure there were tons of cultural experiences in his little town.

He did so by making parks all around then small community. A more famous park opened in April, 1907. Amusement rides were later added to some parks. This is where Hershey Park came from, slowly built up in one of the parks. The Hershey Estates were added under law, which means that they were officially a business under the government. There were also trolley cars and trains available for the many visitors that the now larger community had received. There was also a zoo and a swimming pool for the younger ones, and a ballroom for yet another cultural reason. Hershey only wanted for his new citizens what he could not have when he was younger.

Hershey’s factory got stuck in the middle of two great hardships in our country, The Great Depression and World War II. In the Great Depression, it was the first time business had been slow for the Lancaster Caramel Company, but Hershey still reached out to help those in need. He offered jobs to poor women or men who greatly needed some financial help since the Depression and who had families to feed. For World War II, Hershey decided to finally use all the chocolate skill he had acquired over the past years. He wanted to make a chocolate bar to be sent for the soldiers to fight. The bar was about four ounces and was a perfect size for war. The chocolate bar to be sent over to the people fighting was a hit. Everyone liked the idea that they finally had a way to help out the war with something that is as easy as chocolate. The bars were good for an emergency food supply for the soldiers.

Hershey died in 1945, at the age of 88. Even though his life had ended, his legacy will always live on. Somethings that he is still famous for, and will always will be, are some things like the following. The M.S. Hershey Foundation was founded by Hershey in 1935. It was ,of course, make sure that his cultural and educational opportunities were taken care of. The Milton S. Hershay Medical Center near the University of Pennsylvania was founded with the money he had saved up in the Milton Hershey School Trust Fund. This came to be in 1963. Many students have gone to the medical center and have earned their degrees. The Milton Hershey School that he and his wife put together is still running today and is still helping the young boys and girls in need with their families' financial problems.

Milton Hershey tried hard throughout all of his life, and for a reward, he is loved by everyone for the invention of his wonderful chocolate, which I am sure you know is still very popular. He never caught up in his glory. He always wanted to be helping others all during his life. His town of Hershey is still a wonderful town with their still famous things. I hope this showed you how much Hershey tried, and succeeded in his work. And what a tasteful work it is!