Thomas Alva Edison’s son, Charles Edison was the Secretary of the Navy, Governor of New Jersey and a nationally recognized corporate executive. He died July 31, 1969, three days days shy of his 79th birthday. He was also the founder of The Brook Foundation (the “Brook”), a philanthropic institution created to support worthwhile endeavors in medical research, science education and historic preservation.

Charles named his foundation after a Sunday School song that he recalled from the days of his childhood. As we approach the holidays and Giving Tuesday 2022, we remember its words:

Give, said the little brook,
Give, oh give – give, oh give
Give, said the little brook,
Oh give, oh give away
I am little I know, but wherever I go
I give, I give, I give.
I am little I know, but wherever I go
I give, I give away.
Giving, giving all the day;
Give, oh give, oh give away.
Giving, giving all the day,
I give, I give away.

Although the fund doesn’t go by “The Brook Foundation” anymore, it is still active and serving its original purpose today under his own namesake, the Charles Edison Fund. His long-range goal for the fund was that of creating an institution capable of carrying on after his passing. 53 years later, the foundation still works hard to support the legacy of his father, Thomas Edison, and promote education, specifically careers in science and technology. We use our large collection of artifacts, Edison’s Intellectual Property and the Thomas Edison National Historical Park as the foundation for lighting the way to a brighter future. If you are confused how those missions go together, we will leave you with this important quote about history:

“History is important because it teaches us about the past. By learning about the past, you come to understand the present so you can make educated decisions about the future.”

Richelle Mead

In fact, the Charles Edison Fund now also has a sister fund, the Edison Innovation Foundation that is specifically devoted to educational goals. One of the foundation’s main programs is the annual Thomas Edison Pitch Contest. The contest was created in 2010 as a competition to honor Thomas Edison and encourage invention, innovation and entrepreneurship among students before they get to college. Every year, students in grades 4-12 submit their own invention to win prizes and gain the hands-on experience exclusive to our contest! We provide supplies, curriculum and stipends so they have all the support they need to solve a problem they see in the world today. Early registration for the Thomas Edison Pitch Contest contest actually begins next month on December 1st! You can go to the website to learn more: www.thomasedisonpitch.org.

The Charles Edison Fund’s motto is “Doing well by doing good.” The world is a better place with forward thinkers like Thomas Edison, and we are proud to be carrying on his memory and cultivating the next generation of pioneers (which we are ensuring will be made up of all genders and races) to solve the problems of today and tomorrow. Thomas Edison, himself, was also a humantarian.

Thomas Edison did not invent to make money…he made money to invent! He had a unique way of linking technological progress to society’s well being. He once said:

​“My desire is to do everything within my power to free people from drudgery and create the largest measure of happiness and prosperity.”

Thomas Edison

​Edison propelled his philanthropy through his business whether it was bio-manufacturing a new rubber plant when there were fears that the US would run out of the natural resource, developing low cost concrete houses to address housing shortages, or allowing the free use of his fluoroscope patent(s) for medical use.

Following the Edisons’ footsteps, we invite you to join us this holiday season in supporting students, entrepreneurs, scientists, historical preservation, medical advances, environmental causes, and more. If you are interested in donating to our cause, you can visit our website here: https://www.thomasedison.org/donate.

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The Charles Edison Fund, a direct link back the Edison family, is once again honored to fulfill its philanthropic mission, with these two examples of deserving honor.

1. Francis Ouimet (“Ouimet”) was America’s first golf hero.  Before him, golf in America was more of a curiosity than a mainstream sport and the British elite dominated the game. Ouimet was born in 1893 to a French-Canadian immigrant father and an Irish immigrant mother, into the lowest echelons of American society. With a burning passion for the game, in 1913, at the age of 20, Ouimet, an avid caddy, won the U.S. Open. His storybook triumph sent shock waves through the sporting world and proved that American golf was now equal of its rival in Britain and more importantly, that anyone could achieve success if they tried hard enough.  

This story rings the “little fellow makes good” bell, reminding us of the long struggle Thomas Edison endured to become the greatest inventor in the world. The planned restoration of the Ouimet home to honor Francis’s accomplishment, motivated the Charles Edison Fund to contribute $10,000 to this effort. Poignantly, the 2022 U.S. Open was played at the very country club in Brookline MA where he won in 1913, just a short distance from his newly renovated home. This project clearly falls within the historic mission of the Charles Edison Fund and Chairman Keegan visited it recently to confirm how its funds have been allocated to the building.

2. For decades the Charles Edison Fund has honored entrepreneurs and innovators through many Edison fellowship programs, one of which is located at the Harvard Kennedy School (“KSG). Last year the choice for an Edison Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School was Alberto (“Beto”) Altamirano for his work in social innovation. Beto is founder and CEO of Irys Technologies, an AI-driven software company that allows people to seamlessly engage in meaningful community-based communications. For instance, citizens can notify government officials of needed infrastructure concerns such as potholes, broken or deteriorated infrastructure…etc. Already, 16 cities, involving 150,000 people have used this software to support citizen concerns across all socio-economic levels. Specifically, our $150,000 initial grant to KSG in December, 1992, has grown to have a base of $1,099,754 from which funds Beto’s scholarship was underwritten.

Working at the interface of smart cities and public policy, Beto is well- positioned to bring user-friendly technology to city dwellers, to make a difference in their lives and the health of their communities. Again, the Edison connection is strong, as Edison’s great inventions like recorded sound, telegraphy, the improved telephone and motion pictures were, like Beto’s software, based on greatly improving human communication.

The total number of Thomas Edison patents during his lifetime was 2,332; 1093 domestic patents and 1239 foreign patents. Among those patents were the incandescent light bulb and phonograph…but did you know Edison also invented some interesting items in the areas of food, furniture, and toys? Read on to see how his creative ideas touched all areas of our daily life…

1) Edison’s Method of Preserving Fruit

In 1881, Edison filed for a patent for a method to preserve fruits, vegetables or other organic substances in a glass vessel. The vessel was filled with the items to be preserved, and then all the air was sucked from it with an air pump. The vessel tube was sealed with another piece of glass. This invention came about from his work with vacuum pumps while developing long-life incandescent light bulbs.

2) Edison’s Concrete Furniture

Made with air-impregnated foam to keep the weight at only one-and-a-half times that of wooden furniture, Edison’s line of concrete furnishings would be sanded and smoothed into a mirror-like finish or stained to look like wood grain. He claimed he could furnish an entire house for less than $200. In 1911, Edison’s company molded a piano, bathtub and cabinets that could house Edison’s phonographs.

3) Thomas Edison’s Talking Dolls

Patented in 1890, Edison developed miniature phonographs and inserted them into dolls. The phonograph was enclosed in a tin casing that comprised the doll’s chest, then pre-made arms and legs were attached, along with a bisque head made in Germany. The talking dollies sold for about $10. 

4) Edison’s Telephone Greeting – “Hello”

In 1877, Thomas Edison first suggested using the word “hello.” Before this, telephone users would often pick up the phone with phrases like, “Do I get you?” and, “Are you there?” But Edison found “hello” to be much more efficient, and the word caught on quickly — much to the dismay of Alexander Graham Bell. The inventor of the telephone preferred using the seafarer’s phrase “ahoy” to begin a conversation instead.

5) Edison’s Edicraft Speed Toaster

In the 1920’s, Edison’s company released a line luxury kitchen appliances, one of which was the automatic toaster. Many cheaper toasters were being invented and sold around this time, but what made these unique was that it used two compartments for the toast that opened automatically when it was done, instead of the springs popping the bread up. It was marketed for its speed – Toasting 2 slices of bread at once to the degree of toasted you set it at (and never burning)!

6) The “Edison” Effect AKA Thermionic Emission

In the early 1880’s, Edison discovered what is known today as thermionic emission, as a by-product of his work with improving early incandescent light bulbs. He patented the “Edison Effect” and actually used it as part of his first electric utility system in NYC. However, later this discovery became the basis for the diode and triode vacuum tubes that lead to modern technology we know today like radio, televisions and even phones!