One of our founding fathers and the only non-president to ever be depicted
on currency as well as coined money is Benjamin Franklin.  Franklin is 
known as many things, an author, inventor, printer and founder of such institutions
as libraries and fire companies.  But perhaps his greatest achievements were
those contributions to the American Revolutionary War, as well as those
completed after the war within the newly formed government of the United States.  

	Franklin was born on 17 January 1706 in Boston, MA to Josiah & Abiah
Franklin.  He was one of 17 children, however only 15 of them belonged to his
mother, Josiah's second wife.  At age eight, Franklin first attended grammar
school and shortly after entered into his father's business.  However, while in
Grammar School, Franklin advanced fro the middle of the class, to the top of the
class.   Franklin was unhappy with his father, so he changed occupations and
then once again changed occupations to work as his brother's apprentice.  This
was the period of time when Franklin learned the craft of printing, while
furthering his literary education.  

	Franklin's brother James began publishing a newspaper in 1721 known
as the New England Current.  Ben anonymously wrote articles for the paper. 
These articles were loved by the townsfolk, however because of their
liberalness, the authorities disliked them.  A year later, James was imprisoned
and the paper shut down.

	When James was released, he and Ben had a few differences of opinion,
as a result, Benjamin left Boston and fled to Philadelphia, arriving in October
1723.  Franklin made many friends in Philadelphia, among them was Sir William Keith,
the provincial Governor.  Keith persuaded Franklin to go to London, so he could
complete his training as a Printer & purchase presses for a new paper.  In 1724,
Franklin took the advice and arrived in London.  Franklin was employed at one of
the most reputable printing establishments in England, where he gained
recognition with some of the most significant figures in the Literary field.  

	Franklin had accomplished his goal, he made the connections and gained
the knowledge he needed.  With that, he returned to Philadelphia and resumed
his printing.  In his spare time, he formed a group known as Junto which later
became the Philadelphia Philosopher's Society.  

	In 1729, Franklin purchased a small newspaper known as the
Philadelphia Gazette.  This was a small newspaper, poorly ran and written only
weekly.  One of his other accomplishments was the writing of A Modest Inquiry
as to the Necessity of Paper Money.  He would be appalled if he knew how he
was being commemorated in the twentieth century.

	Franklin married Deborah Read, a long time acquaintance in 1730.  

	His literary love once again shined through in 1731 when he founded the
Philadelphia Public Library.  It was funded through donations, and Franklin was
pleased to see that people of similar intelligence, were more literate when
exposed to the library.  He felt it was a means for the ordinary person to further
his knowledge of all subjects.  Today, the Philadelphia Library is one of the most
complete in the country.  

	But perhaps his most known literary advancement, was the publication of
his first book, Poor Richard's Almanac, in 1732.  You may be curious about the
origin of the name of the book, he had been using a pen name of Richard
Saunders.  His book quickly gained fame, and was loved for its modest wisdom
and "home-i-ness".  For example, "For the want of a nail, a shoe was lost, for the
want of a shoe, a horse was lost" the verse continues until the down fall of a
kingdom is attributed to this shoe.    His consumerism shines through with his
most famous statement, "A penny saved is a penny earned."  But my favorite is
on the cover of this report, "We know the value of water when the well runs dry."

	Franklin published a book of virtues in which many different items are
outlined below in a quote from his autobiography:


These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself;
avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of
your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform
without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or
yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something
useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly,
and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the
benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so
much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths,
or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents
common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring,
never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or
another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.


	He also made a book in which he allotted a page for each of the virtues. 
He ruled each page with seven columns, one for each day of the week.  Every
time Franklin found a fault in himself, he gave himself a black mark.  Franklin
was startled to find that he had more black marks than he anticipated.  

	Among his favorite of the precepts was Order.  He felt every part of his
business should have an allotted time.  He set forth the following schedule in the
same little book, which is for one of his standard days:


  THE MORNING.	             {  5 } Rise, wash, and address
					       {     } Powerful Goodness!  Contrive
Question.  What good  	    {  6 } day's business, and take the
    shall do this day?   	  {     } resolution of the day; 
		                               {  7 } prosecute the present study, 
                                      	        {     } and breakfast.
	                                          8  }
  	   	                                  9  } Work.
  	                                         10 }
                                                 11 }

     NOON.                            { 12 } Read, or overlook my 
		   		               {  1 } accounts, and dine.
		                                   2 }
                                                   3 } Work.
                                                   4 }
                                                   5 }

     EVENING.     		     {  6 } Put things in their places.
			                        {  7 } Supper.  Music or diversion,
Question.  What                  {  8 } or conversation.  Examination
good have I done today?      {  9 } of the day.
                                               { 10 }
                                               { 11 }
                                               { 12 }

     NIGHT.                             {  1 } Sleep.
                                                {  2 }
                                                {  3 }
                                                {  4 }


	Franklin became a clerk of the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1736. 
Within one year, he was appointed the Deputy Post Master of Philadelphia. 
around the same time he organized the first public fire company.   This fire
company was financed with the fines of members who missed the monthly
meetings.  Also he showed a more effective way of street pavement and
lightning.  Franklin also made the plans to create the Philadelphia Police Force.  

	Soon after in 1747, Franklin began his electrical experiments.  He
published his plans in England and France, than had a friend try the experiment
in England.

	Franklin's love of the youth, and of education surged in 1749 when he
published the report Proposals Relating to Education of the Youth in
Pennsylvania.  Franklin was mainly concerned with education without religion,
and therefore is thought of as the Father of Public Schooling.  This report led to
the formation of Philadelphia Academy, which later became the University of
Pennsylvania.

	When Franklin received word from his friend that the experiment worked,
he "tried" it in the colonies in 1752.  St. Andrews and the University of Oxford
bestowed honorary degrees to him soon after.  

	Franklin sold his press and from 1750 until 1764, Franklin was a
representative in the Pennsylvania Assembly.  1754, Franklin advanced to
Deputy Post Master General for the Colonies, and was also appointed a
delegate to the Intercolonial Congress that met in Albany to deal with the French
and Indian War.  In 1754, Ben Franklin proposed to the Albany Congress all
Native American affairs be centrally handled.  Later he helped form another
organization under the American Government.  When the British decided to use
Colonial taxes, and land for war purposes, the Quakers under William Penn
protested.  so in 1757, Franklin was sent to England where he protested to the
King their behalf.  After the completion of this task, he remained in England as
the Chief Representative of The American Colonies.  He once again used this
time to make vital connections, this time they were political.  

	In the year 1758, Franklin ceased writing his almanac.  In this final issue,
he printed Father Abraham's Sermon.  Father Abraham's Sermon is currently
know as the most famous piece of Colonial American literature.  

	When Franklin returned to Philadelphia in 1762, he remained for two
years and then was sent back to England, so he could present a case to repeal
the Stamp Act.  Over the next decade, he spent a lot of time arguing over the
many ways England had introduced of taxing the colonies.  While in England, in
1771, he began his autobiography, which he put off until 1784, and then again
until 1788.  A special thanks to Mr. John Bigelow who reproduced his
autobiography, knowing it would be important in the future.  Furthermore,
Franklin influenced Thomas Paine to cross the ocean and join him in America.    

	On 05 May 1775, he arrived in Philadelphia once again.  He joined the
Continental Congress, serving in 10 of the 12 committees.  He was also
appointed to the office of Post Master General, which he only served for one
year.

	That same year, Franklin traveled to Canada to attempt and enlist troops
for the war.  When he returned, he was one of the five persons chosen to draft
the Declaration of Independence, and then was a signer of it. 

	A few months later, he and two fellow statesmen were sent to France so
they could seek economic help.  After what appeared to be an unsuccessful
campaign and what seemed like an eternity, the treaty of commerce and
defense alliance with France was signed on 06 February 1778.  Thanks to
Franklin, the Colonial people were able to reach what was in fact, the turning
point of the war.  Franklin then was appointed First Minister from the US to
France.  

	When the war drew to a close in 1781, Franklin was one of three sent to
conclude the treaty of Peace with Great Britain.  

	In 1785, he voluntarily left his post in France, and returned to The United
States of America.   Upon his return he was immediately chosen President of the
Pennsylvania Executive Council.  2 years after that he removed himself from his
leadership role and began to draft the Constitution.  The following April, he
passed away in his Philadelphia home at age 84.

	Ben's life was not all it cracked up to be, there was one negative aspect
that was brought to my attention.  Upon examination of the remains of Franklin's
belongings, historians found several, possibly the largest, collection of
pornographic pictures of young boys.

	Robert Morris once said to Benjamin Franklin, "In a government like ours,
the belief creates the thing."  Although, I cannot place these developments
chronologically, I also am aware that Franklin was responsible for several other
things, including designing the Seal of the United States of America and the
creation of bifocals.  He also served as Ambassador to China, and there he
discovered the Cavance plant.  He brought it back to the colonies when he found
out it could be used to make cheese with out milk.  Thanks to Ben, Soybeans
brings in an income of Ten Million Dollars a year.  Soybeans are also a local
crop, as they are the only crop still grown here at Malvern Preparatory School.  

	As you can see, great number of things are attributed to Benjamin
Franklin, and if you look a little closer, a great number of things have been
tributes to Ben Franklin.   Not only are bridges and streets throughout the nation
named for him, but also he is depicted in several different ways on our money. 
From 1948 until 1963, a half dollar, made of 90% silver was struck.  The obverse
of this coin had Mr. Franklin's "head" profile, while the reverse depicted the
Liberty Bell.  Unfortunately this absolutely beautiful coin [my personal favorite]
was removed from circulation upon commemoration of Kennedy's death. 
However, in 1928, Franklin was introduced into circulation on the One Hundred
Dollar Bills.  In addition to standard Federal Reserve Notes with the green
treasury seal, he was on the United States Notes Silver Certificates, National
Currency, Federal Reserve Notes with brown seals, Federal Reserve Note Silver
Certificate & Gold Certificates.  More interestingly, an error bill has been found in
which the bills were removed from the presses and flipped, so printing on the
same side is done in two different directions.