Mrs. & Mr. David C.
Anchin
The David C. Anchin Center was established through the philanthropy of
the family of David C. Anchin. A founder of the Accounting firm of
Anchin, Anchin and Block, David C. Anchin came to the United States from
Russia when he was eight years old. The middle of five children, he became
the main breadwinner in his family while still a schoolboy after his
father was disabled in a factory accident. In high school Anchin delivered
newspapers at 4:00 a.m. in the morning and worked at jobs after school.
While in high school, instead of a study hall Anchin enrolled for a course
in accounting and with the help of a teacher began to work as an assistant
in an accounting firm. Finishing high school at the age of 17, he earned
his accounting degree when he was 20 by attending night school at the City
College of New York. He would eventually go on and complete a degree in
tax law at Fordham University.
Highly successful as a businessman, Anchin was always interested in
education and how it could contribute to an individual's personal success.
On his retirement from Anchin, Anchin and Block, he set about to give
something back to American culture and the people of Florida. During his
retirement he worked tirelessly to improve the quality of public
education--hoping to help create today the schools of tomorrow. Shortly
before his death he summarized his belief about the importance of learning
stating that:
"I had always believed in educating the whole child so he would
be able to live with others, learn ethics and the value of
charity."
Shortly after his death in 199?, Anchin's family made a major
bequest towards the establishment of The David C. Anchin Center for the
Advancement of Teaching. Matching funds were provided by the State of
Florida for the construction of the Center. The Anchin Center is near
completion on the campus of the University of South Florida and will be
dedicated in the fall of 1997.
In addition to the funding of the
Center, the David C. Anchin Endowed Chair of Education is being
established through the Florida Eminent Scholar's Act. Besides
contributions from the Anchin family, TECO Energy has also provided for
the establishment of an endowed chair in Educational Leadership for the
Center, as well the construction of the TECO Conference Center, both of
which will be part of the Anchin Center.
