Middle School
Worksheets
Milton Hershey: Candy Maker
Hershey's Chocolate Debuts
Reading Comprehension for February 9
Hershey is a familiar name to those of us who enjoy the many candies that bear the name of Milton Hershey. He was born on September 13, 1857, in Derry Church, Pennsylvania. Although he attended school only up to the fourth grade, he learned to work hard. His first job, however, was short-lived. After being apprenticed to a printer, his dislike for the work was apparent. The printer dismissed him soon after his work had begun.
Even as a small child, Milton Hershey was fascinated with candy. Knowing this, his mother encouraged him to apprentice with a local candy maker. Milton was thrilled, and his dream had begun.
He learned many things from his apprenticeship, and at age eighteen he opened his first candy shop. He still had a lot to learn though, and this first business failed. His determination to discover the best ways to make candy led him to Denver, Colorado, where he took a position with a caramel maker. There, he learned the value of using fresh milk in the process of candy making. The sweet, top-quality results encouraged him as he moved on to other cities trying to open his own business. However, it wasn't until 1886, after moving to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that he was able to achieve this goal. He set out to raise the money he needed and opened the Lancaster Caramel Company, which built his reputation as a manufacturer of quality caramels.
