Jule Sugarman
Encyclopedia
Jule Meyer Sugarman was a founder of the Head Start Program who also led the program for its first five years.
). His studies were cut short by World War II, in which he served in the United States Army
as a staff supply sergeant in Japan. He completed his undergraduate degree in public administration at American University
.
starting in 1951. From 1957-1959 he worked in the Office of Management and Budget. He then moved to the United States Department of Justice
in the Federal Bureau of Prisons
until 1962, when he took a position with the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs
at the United States Department of State
.
Sugarman, described by Edward Zigler as an "administrative genius", served as the executive secretary of the 13-member planning panel that was commissioned by Lyndon Johnson to create Head Start as part of the War on Poverty
. The team included specialists in education, pediatricians and psychologists who designed a program aimed at ending the cycle in which children become "inheritors of poverty's curse". Originally proposed as a summer program, Head Start quickly morphed into a year-long program. Sugarman took over as head of the program from Julius B. Richmond
, the original holder of that post, when Richmond became ill.
Following the advice of Sargent Shriver
of the Office of Economic Opportunity
"to write Head Start across this land so that no Congress or president will ever destroy it", Sugarman oversaw the immediate increase of enrollment in the program to more than double the projected number of participants, starting with 560,000 children in the first year versus a target of only 250,000. In subsequent years the program exceeded 700,000 participants. By the time of his death, Head Start was serving 900,000 children annually and had served 27 million children since its inception.
During the Presidency of Jimmy Carter
, Sugarman served as vice chairman on the Civil Service Commission and in the Office of Personnel Management.
In 1992 Sugarman accepted the position of Interim executive director of the Gray Panthers
, then on the brink of insolvency, to help the group reorganize its by-laws, its board of directors, and its fundraising.
Early life
Born in Cincinnati to Melville Sugarman, a jeweler, and Rachel Meyer, a nursery school teacher, Sugarman entered Western Reserve University (later to become Case Western Reserve UniversityCase Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
). His studies were cut short by World War II, in which he served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a staff supply sergeant in Japan. He completed his undergraduate degree in public administration at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
.
Professional career
Sugarman worked at various positions in the United States Civil Service CommissionUnited States Civil Service Commission
The United States Civil Service Commission a three man commission was created by the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which was passed into law on January 16, 1883...
starting in 1951. From 1957-1959 he worked in the Office of Management and Budget. He then moved to the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
in the Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
until 1962, when he took a position with the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
In the United States Government, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs is a part of the U.S. Department of State, charged with implementing U.S. foreign policy and promoting U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere, as well as advising the Under Secretary for Political Affairs...
at the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
.
Sugarman, described by Edward Zigler as an "administrative genius", served as the executive secretary of the 13-member planning panel that was commissioned by Lyndon Johnson to create Head Start as part of the War on Poverty
War on Poverty
The War on Poverty is the unofficial name for legislation first introduced by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during his State of the Union address on January 8, 1964. This legislation was proposed by Johnson in response to a national poverty rate of around nineteen percent...
. The team included specialists in education, pediatricians and psychologists who designed a program aimed at ending the cycle in which children become "inheritors of poverty's curse". Originally proposed as a summer program, Head Start quickly morphed into a year-long program. Sugarman took over as head of the program from Julius B. Richmond
Julius B. Richmond
Julius Benjamin Richmond was an American pediatrician and public health administrator. He was a vice admiral in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and served as the United States Surgeon General and the United States Assistant Secretary for Health during the Carter...
, the original holder of that post, when Richmond became ill.
Following the advice of Sargent Shriver
Sargent Shriver
Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr., known as Sargent Shriver, R. Sargent Shriver, or, from childhood, Sarge, was an American statesman and activist. As the husband of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, he was part of the Kennedy family, serving in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations...
of the Office of Economic Opportunity
Office of Economic Opportunity
The Office of Economic Opportunity was the agency responsible for administering most of the War on Poverty programs created as part of United States President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society legislative agenda.- History :...
"to write Head Start across this land so that no Congress or president will ever destroy it", Sugarman oversaw the immediate increase of enrollment in the program to more than double the projected number of participants, starting with 560,000 children in the first year versus a target of only 250,000. In subsequent years the program exceeded 700,000 participants. By the time of his death, Head Start was serving 900,000 children annually and had served 27 million children since its inception.
During the Presidency of Jimmy Carter
Presidency of Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter served as the thirty-ninth President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. His administration sought to make the government "competent and compassionate" but, in the midst of an economic crisis produced by rising energy prices and stagflation, met with difficulty in achieving its...
, Sugarman served as vice chairman on the Civil Service Commission and in the Office of Personnel Management.
In 1992 Sugarman accepted the position of Interim executive director of the Gray Panthers
Gray Panthers
The Gray Panthers was an organization in the United States founded by Maggie Kuhn in 1970, in response to her forced retirement at age 65. The group focused on health and other issues....
, then on the brink of insolvency, to help the group reorganize its by-laws, its board of directors, and its fundraising.