During his lifetime, Senator James H. Donovan was instrumental in working for the advancement of good education for children and teens. When he passed away in 1990, it was a loss to the world of education. He understood the importance of teens focusing on getting a good education and worked hard to fight against illiteracy and pregnancy of teens. Donovan figured that with a good education, it was less likely these individuals would fall into these pitfalls and thus turn the direction of their lives around.
Senator James H. Donovan’s death was described as a “tremendous loss” by Ralph J. Marino, the governor of New York at the time. This wasn’t surprising given his many roles, which included being the chairman of the Senate Education Committee; a position he held for 14 years. It was also Donovan who established the New York City School Construction Authority which was able to battle successfully against many obstacles new schools usually had to face.
Even 11 years after his death, James Donovan’s commitment, dedication and success within the education framework has not been forgotten.