The History of Victoria Foundation 1924 to 2003
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE EVOLUTION OF VICTORIA FOUNDATION FROM 1924 TO 2003 WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE NEWARK YEARS FROM 1964 TO 2003 by IRENE COOPER-BASCH A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-Newark Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey & New Jersey Institute of Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Joint Graduate Program in Urban Systems-Education Policy Written under the direction of Dr. Alan R. Sadovnik, Rutgers University Chair and approved by _____________________________________________ Dr. Alan R. Sadovnik, Rutgers University _____________________________________________ Dr. Gabrielle Esperdy, New Jersey Institute of Technology _____________________________________________ Dr. Clement A. Price, Rutgers University _____________________________________________ Dr. Christopher J. Daggett, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Morristown, NJ Newark, New Jersey May, 2014 © 2014 Irene Cooper-Basch ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION The Evolution of Victoria Foundation From 1924 to 2003 With a Special Focus on the Newark Years From 1964 to 2003 By IRENE COOPER-BASCH Dissertation Director: Professor Alan Sadovnik This dissertation examines the history of Victoria Foundation from its inception in 1924 through 2003, with a special emphasis on its place-based urban grantmaking in Newark, New Jersey from 1964 through 2003. Insights into Victoria’s role and impact in Newark, particularly those connected to its extensive preK-12 education grantmaking, were gleaned through an analyses of the evolution of Newark, the history of education in Newark, and the history of foundations in America. Several themes emerged from the research, an examination of the archives, and 28 oral history interviews including: charity vs. philanthropy, risk-taking, scattershot grantmaking, self-reflection, issues of race, and evaluation. Victoria awarded more than 4,000 grants totaling $136.5 million to nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life for children and families in Newark. The vast majority of Victoria’s grantmaking supported direct programs targeting youth, as well as capacity-building grants to strengthen the nonprofit sector. The dissertation delves into six long-term Victoria-funded initiatives to better understand the Foundation’s impact in its target city, including: the Newark-Victoria Plan at the Cleveland School, the Chad Schools, the Newark Collaboration Group, New Community Corporation, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Bank Street Project New Beginnings. Only two of ii these efforts engaged independent evaluators to assess outcomes. In the absence of reliable empirical evidence to determine impact, the researcher relied heavily on the perceptions of key stakeholders and anecdotal information to conclude whether the projects accomplished their respective goals. Among its findings, the dissertation concludes that Victoria evolved from a small foundation governed by family and friends in 1924 to a mid-sized philanthropy valued at $200 million in 2003, overseen by a hybrid board composed of both family and community members with a professional staff of seven. The overwhelming perception from trustees, staff, grantee executives, and community leaders is that Victoria made a profound difference in the lives of thousands of children and families residing in Newark. Former Mayor Sharpe James said, “Many of the programs that Victoria Foundation aided, gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, they’re still alive today because of Victoria. If you were to take all those out of Newark, I’d move tomorrow.” iii Dedication I dedicate this dissertation to my father, Howard Cooper, who has always believed in me and has loved me unconditionally. iv Acknowledgements I feel so blessed to work for such a caring and generous foundation. Victoria trustees have supported my doctoral journey over 10 years. I hope this dissertation enriches the ongoing and important work of the Foundation for generations to come. I have such gratitude for my faculty advisor, Professor Alan Sadovnik, who inspired me in the classroom, encouraged me to persist, and provided guidance at every stage of this adventure. My dear friend Bill Coury walked alongside me through the daunting proposal defense phase. I certainly wouldn’t be crafting these acknowledgements without him. And Bill Millard was brave enough to read through a near final draft and give me astute feedback with great humor. I am also grateful to many friends for their faith, good cheer, and assistance, including Brenda Pepper, Diane Klein, Ruth Muzzin, Tom Heinzen, and Eileen Frances. Finally, I am especially beholden to my family for allowing me the time and space to earn this Ph.D. In particular, I’m so grateful for the support and proofreading skills of my husband, Norm. It is my wish that witnessing this adventure inspires my beautiful and talented children, Aaron and Carrie. v Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................ ii Dedication ......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments..............................................................................................................v List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... xi List of Figures ................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 Organization of Dissertation .........................................................................................11 Methodology ......................................................................................................................13 Participant Researcher-Practical Concerns ...................................................................18 Chapter 2 Literature Review and Essential Background Information ................................................21 Overview of Foundation Sector ...................................................................................21 History of Foundations ................................................................................................23 Foundations Focused on PreK-12 Education .........................................................29 Theory of Change ........................................................................................................34 Evaluating Success.......................................................................................................35 Chapter 3 Brief History of Newark, New Jersey ................................................................................44 Framework for the Evolution of Newark .....................................................................44 vi The Puritans .................................................................................................................46 Newark’s Industrial Revolution ...................................................................................48 Newark’s Decline.........................................................................................................51 Post Riots .....................................................................................................................55 Newark’s Emerging Renaissance ................................................................................57 History of Education in Newark ........................................................................................59 The Early Years ...........................................................................................................60 Impact of Immigration on Newark Schools .................................................................65 The 1942 Survey Report ..............................................................................................68 Education of African American Children ....................................................................71 Teacher Strikes.............................................................................................................73 Federal Government Involvement in Education .........................................................75 State Takeover, Charter Schools, and Abbott v. Burke ...............................................77 Chapter 4 The Governance of Victoria Foundation ...........................................................................84 The People Behind Victoria Foundation......................................................................85 Hendon Chubb: The Founding Father ...................................................................90 Corinne Chubb: The Longest-Serving Trustee ....................................................101 Other Key Trustees ..............................................................................................105 vii Presidents Percy Chubb 2nd1 and Percy Chubb III ...............................................107 Executive Officers Howard Quirk and Catherine McFarland .............................110 Conclusions ..........................................................................................................118 The Journey From “Mom and Pop” to Professional Foundation ...............................119