anchin.gif (24116 bytes)


undercon.gif (293 bytes)

Anchin1.tif (1089697 bytes)

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.