Andrew Carnegie and Eagar grandfather University of Chattanooga donation

Tom's grandfather (former mayor of Chattanooga) sought $25,000 from Carnegie to complete a $500K matching grant (Rockefeller's $250K) for the University of Chattanooga. Carnegie asked his education level; grandfather said 13 months; Carnegie revealed he too had 13 months and granted the funds. The anecdote serves as a Carnegie character study and a generational bridge to the steel-industry narrative.

I have a story about Andrew Carnegie and my grandfather. My grandfather grew up in the South in the Civil War — he never got much education. He was trying to start the University of Chattanooga, Tennessee — he'd been mayor of Chattanooga — and he needed $25,000 because one of the Rockefellers had given them a $250,000 challenge grant. They needed a half-million dollars to build this university. They'd raised all the money they could in Tennessee. My great-grandfather, who had been Secretary of the Treasury, was in New York, and he knew Andrew Carnegie. He got an appointment for my grandfather with Andrew Carnegie. My grandfather said, we'd like you to give us the last $25,000 which will, with Rockefeller's quarter-million-dollar challenge grant, allow us to build the University of Chattanooga. Andrew Carnegie said, well, I tend not to dabble in Mr. Rockefeller's charities. As he's showing him to the door, my grandfather said, well, people in the South really need some education. The South was a very poor disadvantaged area at the time after Reconstruction. Andrew Carnegie looked at him and said, sir, how much education do you have? My grandfather said, 13 months. Andrew Carnegie said, come back tomorrow, I'll give you my answer.