The History Of S.A.G.E.
The Society for Advancement of Global Education
S.A.G.E. was incorporated in 1980 as a Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation for the purpose of advancing the cause of education around the world and to promote among all peoples a better and more clear understanding of differing cultures. These goals are achieved through language training institutes, publishing agencies, and cultural exchange programs.
The U.S.-China Education Fund (USCEF) is a project of S.A.G.E. for the purpose of language training in the two languages, advancing education in the People's Republic of China, increasing the understanding of the American people about Chinese culture, and increasing the understanding of the Chinese people about American culture and history.
In 1980, in cooperation with American colleges and universities, Dr. Joseph Kennedy, Sr. arranged for the first group of beginning (zero) language students to ever study in China. At that time, the Ministry of Education required two years of Chinese language study in the country of origin of any student. This major breakthrough offered the students, with no former experience in Chinese language study, a "total immersion" program. The experiment proved most successful, and became a part of the ongoing curriculum of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. Through S.A.G.E., students in other countries such as Switzerland and Canada were also able to study in China. For this pioneer work, USCEF has received special honor and recognition from the Chinese government.
S.A.G.E. worked in the Philippines, supporting medical conferences, university lectures, and service projects. Dr. Kennedy was the guest speaker at major service clubs, University of the Philippines, and a world-wide medical conference in Baguio. His lecture on "Fast Healing," as well as his lectures on "The Evidence of Healing Through Faith" were well received and widely circulated.
A recent grant by S.A.G.E. to an in-patient rehabilitation center in the north Georgia mountains for air conditioning and heating units is another example of the work in diverse communities.
S.A.G.E. has also supported the travel, printing, and other expenses of special lectures at Victory Home Rehabilitation Center in 1997. The Distinguished Pritchard Lectures, made possible by a grant by the Pritchard family to S.A.G.E., was a sixteen week lecture series on "Positive Addiction."
S.A.G.E. has been involved in several international consultations for peace, involving secret negotiations between the President of South Korea and The People's Republic of China, resulting in mutual recognition and exchange of ambassadors. Dr. Kennedy received from Chung-Ang (Central) University in Seoul, Korea, the Doctor of Politics (Doctor of Political Science) degree in 1978.
S.A.G.E. was also involved in the
revival of The Twilight Club, originally formed in the late 1870’s by
Herbert Spencer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie,
and others. The Twilight Club originated the seeds for the Rotary and other
Service Clubs, the Scout Movement of America and England, and the Better
Business Bureau.