Above / A legendary jack-of-all-trades and avid risk taker during his 84 years, in 1752 Ben Franklin demonstrated to the world that lightning is electricity when he flew a kite during a thunderstorm in Philadelphia.
UPDATE Jan. 17, 2019 / Mindful of the anniversary of Ben Franklin’s birthday as well as his many inventions and discoveries, the technology to archive local school board meetings, Naperville City Council meetings and PN’s posts has come a long way.
Thanks for paying attention to all in a timely fashion. Curiosity is the best!
“Since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour.” —Ben Franklin
Celebrate anniversary of Ben Franklin’s birth
Born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Mass., Benjamin Franklin was the youngest son of 17 children. In 1730, he married Deborah Read and they had three children. By the end of his active life on April 17, 1790, Franklin had become one of the most famous of America’s founders and today his many practical inventions continue to be celebrated around the world.
Franklin’s wit, wisdom and sage advice are legendary. The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia remains one of the most educational and memorable places for our children when they were young.
We surround ourselves with his quotes and similar journals in our workplace to remind us to compare and analyze modern methods with the basic advice and commonsense Franklin espoused in the 18th century. As we embrace our own curiosity in this fast-paced world, we often ask, “What would Ben do?”
What would Ben Franklin do?
“…My way is to divide half a sheet of paper by a line into two columns; writing over the one Pro and over the other Con. Then during three or four days’ consideration, I put down under the different heads short hints of the different motives, that at different times occur to me, for or against the measure.
“When I have thus got them altogether in one view, I endeavor to estimate their respective weights; and where I find two, one on each side, that seem equal, I strike them both out.
“If I judge some two reasons con equal to some three reasons pro, I strike out five; and thus proceeding, I find where the balance lies; and if after a day or two of further consideration, nothing new that is of importance occurs on either side, I come to a determination accordingly…” –Benjamin Franklin
Never ever a self-proclaimed perfectionist, Ben Franklin can be credited for his never-ending curiosity and communication skills while improving the world in countless practical ways via a city hospital, electricity, fire departments, higher education, postal service, public libraries, weather forecasts and vaccinations.
As a prolific inventor, Franklin never patented a single innovation, considering his inventions (bifocal lenses, Franklin stove, lightning rod, to name three) as gifts to the public. You could say his aversion to patents embraced the concept of “open source.”
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.” —Ben Franklin
Collection of Benjamin Franklin Quotes
“Well done is better than well said.” —Ben Franklin
“There have been as many great souls unknown to fame as any of the most famous.” —Ben Franklin
Thanks for reading!
Editor’s Note / Thanks to technology, the City of Naperville saves public meetings such as City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, Transportation Advisory Board and workshops for public viewing and streaming on electronic devices at any time around the clock.
