Last year I had the great honor of interviewing one of our founding fathers. As you all know Benjamin died one month ago at the age of 84. I would like to share with you some moments from my amazing interview with him.
Ben as he told me to call him came into my office like an ordinary American. You could have never guessed that he was the Benjamin Franklin who had such a great impact on American History.
We got right down to the point and I asked him what he was like as a boy? He responded with " Life growing up was tough, I was the 15 of 17 children in the household but we would help around the house so things got done easily. My dad was a candle maker do the money wasn't really coming in very fast I had to start working very young. "How did you learn to read and write?" My father had all these religious books at home and I kinda taught myself to read. I don't know how but I did. " Tell me more about your education?" Well my father decided for me that I would have a career in the church. I didn't mind but that took a lot of schooling 6 years of Latin school and then you would have to go on to Harvard. I attended Latin school and after a year I went to the top of the class and was told I would skip a grade but then my father decided to take me out because he didn't have the money. Then I attended George Brownells school but was taken out after that year also.".
" Can you tell me more about your apprentices?" Well at first my dad had me work for him as a candle and soap maker and I hated it and him being afraid that I would leave and go out to sea he let me pick another apprentice. I choose to work with my half brother James who owned a printing and I would work with him and set the print and go out and sell newspapers. I remember I would always ask my brother to let my write some articles but he would always tell me no, so I would secretly write articles and sign them under the name "Silence Dogood".