Marion Bayard Folsom

Marion B. Folsom

Marion Bayard Folsom (born November 23, 1893 in McRae , Telfair County , Georgia - † September 27, 1976 ) was an American businessman and politician . He belonged to the cabinet of President Dwight D. Eisenhower as health, education and welfare minister to.

Professional career

Folsom graduated from the University of Georgia in 1912 and graduated from Harvard University's business school in 1914 . During the First World War he served in the US Army . He fought in France and made it as far as the captain . He had worked for Eastman Kodak as early as 1914 ; after retiring from the military, he returned to the company, where he became assistant to the president in 1921. In the following years he rose within the group until he took over the post of Chief Financial Officer ( Treasurer ) in 1935 , which he held until 1953.

Public offices

At that time he was already a staunch advocate of a nationwide social security system . In 1934 he served on an advisory board to the President on Economic Security, and the following year he helped draft the Social Security Act . From 1944 to 1946 he was the staff director of a special committee of the US House of Representatives on economic policy after World War II ; then he held the post of deputy chairman of the President's advisory staff to the merchant navy between 1947 and 1948.

In 1953 Folsom was appointed Undersecretary of State in the Treasury by President Eisenhower . In this office he was responsible for the first nationwide tax reform since 1874; during this time he was already working closely with Oveta Culp Hobby , the first Minister of Health, Education and Welfare, on social security issues. After her resignation, Marion Folsom was appointed as her successor by the President. In 1957 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences .

As minister, he introduced a number of programs to improve educational conditions, including the National Defense Education Act of 1958, which provided university scholarships for students wishing to pursue professorships. He also supported the expansion in the field of medical research. Originally, Folsom had only intended to head the ministry for two years; in the end he stayed in office for a full three years until July 31, 1958.

Another résumé

After his political career, he returned to Kodak before retiring in 1964. Marion Folsom died in 1976 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Web links

• Marion Bayard Folsom in the Miller Center of Public Affairs of the University of Virginia (English)
• Social Security Online
• The Political Graveyard