A Benjamin Franklin Reader (20 page)

May the
God
of
wisdom, strength
and
power,
the lord of the armies of Israel, inspire us with prudence in this time of
danger;
take away from us all the seeds of contention and division, and unite the hearts and counsels of all of us, of whatever
sect
or
nation,
in one bond of peace, brotherly love, and generous public spirit; may he give us strength and resolution to amend our lives, and remove from among us every thing that is displeasing to him; afford us his most gracious protection, confound the designs of our enemies, and give
peace
in all our borders, is the sincere prayer of

A Tradesman of Philadelphia

The ingenious lad who did not get to go to Harvard, who skewered that college’s pretensions with ill-disguised envy as a teenaged essayist, and whose thirst for knowledge had made him the best self-taught writer and scientist of his times, had for years nurtured the dream of starting a college of his own. So in 1749 he published a pamphlet that described, with his usual indulgence in detail, why an academy was needed, what it should teach, and how the funds might be raised.

This was not to be a religiously affiliated elite bastion like the four colleges (Harvard, William and Mary, Yale and Princeton) that already existed in the colonies. The focus, as to be expected from Franklin, would be on practical instruction such as writing, arithmetic, accounting, oratory, history, and business skills, and earthly virtues should be instilled. Franklin’s plan was that of an educational reformer taking on the rigid classicists. The new academy should not, he felt, train scholars merely to glorify God or to seek learning for its own sake. Instead, what should be cultivated was “an inclination joined with an ability to serve mankind, one’s country, friends and family.”

The pamphlet was crammed with footnotes citing ancient scholars and his own experience on everything from swimming to writing style. Franklin, like any good Enlightenment thinker, loved order and precise procedures. He had displayed this penchant by outlining, in the most incredibly minute detail imaginable, his rules for running the Junto, Masonic lodge, library, American Philosophical Society, fire corps, constable patrol and militia. His proposal for the academy was an extreme example, crammed with exhaustive procedures on the best ways to teach everything from pronunciation to military history.

Franklin quickly raised £2000 in donations (though not the £5000 he recalled in his autobiography), drew up a constitution that was as detailed as his original proposal, and was elected president of the board. The academy opened in January of 1751 as the first nonsectarian college in America (by 1791 it came to be known as the University of Pennsylvania).

O
CTOBER
, 1749

Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania

It has long been regretted as a misfortune to the youth of this province, that we have no academy, in which they might receive the accomplishments of a regular education.

The following paper of
hints
towards forming a plan for that purpose, is so far approved by some public-spirited gentlemen, to whom it has been privately communicated, that they have directed a number of copies to be made by the press, and properly distributed, in order to obtain the sentiments and advice of men of learning, understanding, and experience in these matters; and have determined to use their interest and best endeavors, to have the scheme, when completed, carried gradually into execution; in which they have reason to believe they shall have the hearty concurrence and assistance of many who are well-wishers to their country.

Those who incline to favor the design with their advice, either as to the parts of learning to be taught, the order of study, the method of teaching, the economy of the school, or any other matter of importance to the success of the undertaking, are desired to communicate their sentiments as soon as may be, by letter directed to B. Franklin, printer, in Philadelphia…

Proposals, &c.

The good education of youth has been esteemed by wise men in all ages, as the surest foundation of the happiness both of private families and of commonwealth, almost all governments have therefore made it a principal object of their attention, to establish and endow with proper revenues, such seminaries of learning, as might supply the succeeding age with men qualified to serve the public with honor to themselves, and to their country.

Many of the first settlers of these provinces, were men who had received a good education in Europe, and to their wisdom and good management we owe much of our present prosperity. But their hands were full, and they could not do all things. The present race are not thought to be generally of equal ability: for though the American youth are allowed not to want capacity; yet the best capacities require cultivation, it being truly with them, as with the best ground, which unless well tilled and sowed with profitable seed, produces only ranker weeds.

That we may obtain the advantages arising from an increase of knowledge, and prevent as much as may be the mischievous consequences that would attend general ignorance among us, the following
hints
are offered towards forming a plan for the education of the youth of Pennsylvania, viz.

It is proposed,

That some persons of leisure and public spirit, apply for a charter, by which they may be incorporated, with power to erect an academy for the education of youth, to govern the same, provide masters, make rules, receive donations, purchase lands, &c. and to add to their number, from time to time such other persons as they shall judge suitable.

That the members of the corporation make it their pleasure, and in some degree their business, to visit the academy often, encourage and countenance the youth, countenance and assist the masters, and by all means in their power advance the usefulness and reputation of the design; that they look on the students as in some sort their children, treat them with familiarity and affection, and when they have behaved well, and gone through their studies, and are to enter the world, zealously unite, and make all the interest that can be made to establish them, whether in business, offices, marriages, or any other thing for their advantage, preferably to all other persons whatsoever even of equal merit.

And if men may, and frequently do, catch such a taste for cultivating flowers, for planting, grafting, inoculating, and the like, as to despise all other amusements for their sake, why may not we expect they should acquire a relish for that
more useful
culture of young minds. Thompson says,

“ ’Tis joy to see the human blossoms blow, when infant reason grows apace, and calls for the kind hand of an assiduous care; delightful task! To rear the tender thought, to teach the young idea how to shoot, to pour the fresh instruction over the mind, to breathe the enlivening spirit, and to fix the generous purpose in the glowing breast.”

That a house be provided for the academy, if not in the town, not many miles from it; the situation high and dry, and if it may be, not far from a river, having a garden, orchard, meadow, and field or two.

That the house be furnished with a library (if in the country, if in the town, the town libraries may serve) with maps of all countries, globes, some mathematical instruments, an apparatus for experiments in natural philosophy, and for mechanics; prints, of all kinds, prospects, buildings, machines, &c.

That the rector be a man of good understanding; good morals, diligent and patient, learned in the languages and sciences, and a correct pure speaker and writer of the English tongue; to have such tutors under him as shall be necessary.

That the boarding scholars diet together, plainly, temperately, and frugally.

That to keep them in health, and to strengthen and render active their bodies, they be frequently, exercised in running, leaping, wrestling, and swimming, &c.

That they have peculiar habits to distinguish them from other youth, if the academy be in or near the town; for this, among other reasons, that their behavior may be the better observed.

As to their studies, it would be well if they could be taught
every thing
that is useful, and
everything
that is ornamental; but art is long, and their time is short. It is therefore proposed that they learn those things that are likely to be
most useful
and
most ornamental,
regard being had to the several professions for which they are intended.

All should be taught to write a
fair hand,
and swift, as that is useful to all. And with it may be learnt something of
drawing,
by imitation of prints, and some of the first principles of perspective.

Arithmetic, accounts,
and some of the first principles of
geometry
and
astronomy.

The English language might be taught by grammar; in which some of our best writers, as Tillotson, Addison, Pope, Algernon Sidney, Cato’s letters, &c. should be classics: the
stiles
principally to be cultivated, being the
clear
and the
concise.
Reading should also be taught, and pronouncing, properly, distinctly, emphatically; not with an even tone, which
under-does,
nor a theatrical, which
over-does
nature.

To form their style, they should be put on writing letters to each other, making abstracts of what they read; or writing the same things in their own words; telling or writing stories lately read, in their own expressions. All to be revised and corrected by the tutor, who should give his reasons, explain the force and import of words, &c.

To form their pronunciation, they may be put on making declamations, repeating speeches, delivering orations, &c., the tutor assisting at the rehearsals, teaching, advising, correcting their accent, &c.

But if history be made a constant part of their reading, such as the translations of the Greek and roman historians, and the modern histories of ancient Greece and Rome, &c. may not almost all kinds of useful knowledge be that way introduced to advantage, and with pleasure to the student? As

Geography, by reading with maps, and being required to point out the places
where
the greatest actions were done, to give their old and new names, with the bounds, situation, extent of the countries concerned, &c.

Chronology, by the help of Helvicus or some other writer of the kind, who will enable them to tell
when
those events happened; what princes were cotemporaries, what states or famous men flourished about that time, &c. The several principal epochs to be first well fixed in their memories.

Ancient customs, religious and civil, being frequently mentioned in history, will give occasion for explaining them; in which the prints of medals,
basso relievos,
and ancient monuments will greatly assist.

Morality, by descanting and making continual observations on the causes of the rise or fall of any man’s character, fortune, power, &c. mentioned in history; the advantages of temperance, order, frugality, industry, perseverance, &c. &c. Indeed the general natural tendency of reading good history must be to fix in the minds of youth deep impressions of the beauty and usefulness of virtue of all kinds, public spirit, fortitude, &c.

History
will show the wonderful effects of oratory, in governing, turning and leading great bodies of mankind, armies, cities, nations. When the minds of youth are struck with admiration at this, then is the time to give them the principles of that art, which they will study with taste and application. Then they may be made acquainted with the best models among the ancients, their beauties being particularly pointed out to them. Modern political oratory being chiefly performed by the pen and press, its advantages over the ancient in some respects are to be shown; as that its effects are more extensive, more lasting, &c.

History
will also afford frequent opportunities of showing the necessity of a
public religion,
from its usefulness to the public; the advantage of a religious character among private persons; the mischiefs of superstition, &c. and the excellency of the Christian religion above all others ancient or modern.

History
will also give occasion to expatiate on the advantage of civil orders and constitutions, how men and their properties are protected by joining in societies and establishing government; their industry encouraged and rewarded, arts invented, and life made more comfortable: the advantages of
liberty,
mischiefs of
licentiousness,
benefits arising from good laws and a due execution of justice, &c. thus may the first principles of sound
politics
be fixed in the minds of youth.

On
historical
occasions, questions of right and wrong, justice and injustice, will naturally arise, and may be put to youth, which they may debate in conversation and in writing, when they ardently desire victory, for the sake of the praise attending it, they will begin to feel the want, and be sensible of the use of
logic,
or the art of reasoning to
discover
truth, and of arguing to
defend
it, and
convince
adversaries. This would be the time to acquaint them with the principles of that art. Grotius, Puffendorff, and some other writers of the same kind, may be used on these occasions to decide their disputes. Public disputes warm the imagination, whet the industry, and strengthen the natural abilities.

When youth are told, that the great men whose lives and actions they read in history, spoke two of the best languages that ever were, the most expressive, copious, beautiful; and that the finest writings, the most correct compositions, the most perfect productions of human wit and wisdom, are in those languages, which have endured ages, and will endure while there are men; that no translation can do them justice, or give the pleasure found in reading the originals; that those languages contain all science; that one of them is become almost universal, being the language of learned men in all countries; that to understand them is a distinguishing ornament, &c. They may be thereby made desirous of learning those languages, and their industry sharpened in the acquisition of them. All intended for divinity should be taught the Latin and Greek; for physic, the Latin, Greek and French; for law, the Latin and French; merchants, the French, German, and Spanish: and though all should not be compelled to learn Latin, Greek, or the modern foreign languages; yet none that have an ardent desire to learn them should be refused; their English, arithmetic, and other studies absolutely necessary, being at the same time not neglected.