Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
"Benjamin Franklin" title card. Quote from Franklin: "From my infancy I was passionately fond of reading, and all the money that came into my hands was laid out in the purchasing of books."
Benjamin Franklin - Childhood
Benjamin Franklin as a young child, reading a book at table with candle burning. Still image of Benjamin Franklin as a middle-aged adult. Text card: "Benjamin Franklin ---author, statesman, philosopher, inventor --- the youngest son in a family of 17 children, was born at Boston, Mass., Jan. 6th, 1706. At the age of 10 he was taken from school to help his father --- who was a candle maker and soap boiler" Young Franklin straddling a bench, holding multiple wicks as his father keeps the wicks straight as they are slowly dipped into tall cups of wax; fireplace in BG.
Benjamin Franklin - Childhood
Card: "The long days of toil that claimed the boyhood life of Franklin were alleviated by an occasional holiday --- in which he first learned the art of making merry with all kinds and classes of people." Historical re-enactment of 18th century socialite ball. Young Ben Franklin and equally young Caucasian woman dancing along with his father and an adult Caucasian woman; adult Caucasian men and women watching. Franklin dancing with partner. Elderly Caucasian man playing fiddle. Card: "'When I was a boy,' writes Franklin, 'my friends on a holiday filled my pocket with copper.'" Adult Caucasian man passing around a colonial tricorn hat as he and fellow adult Caucasian men drop coins into it; the man holding the hat summons young Franklin and drops a handful of coins into his open hands; appreciative Franklin shows everyone the coins in his hands before walking away.
Benjamin Franklin - Childhood
Card quoting Benjamin Franklin: "'I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children and I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for a whistle, I then returned home.'" Young Franklin opening door and sneaking into room full of adult Caucasian men and women listening to elderly adult Caucasian man playing fiddle and blowing whistle, shocking everyone. Elderly Caucasian male fiddler stops playing. Young adult Caucasian woman pulls Franklin by the ear to her and scolds him in front of everybody before asking fiddler to continue; she makes Franklin stay by her side to listen. Fiddler continues playing. Franklin looks bored. Two Caucasian female children standing with elderly Caucasian man encouraging Franklin to blow his whistle again. Franklin looks around, blows on it again, shocking everyone again; fiddler stops playing. Young adult Caucasian woman scolds Franklin again. Caucasian female children laugh. Card quoting Franklin: "'They told me that I had given four times as much for the whistle as it was worth.'" Franklin's father takes young Ben to the side, takes away whistle. Card quoting Franklin: "'And my father scolded me so much for my folly that the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.'" Franklin's father scolds Ben, takes him away by the ear. Text card quoting Franklin: "As I grew up, came into the world and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many who gave too much for the whistle. In short I conceive that a great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles.'"
Benjamin Franklin - Young Adult
Card: "Later, Franklin learned the printer's trade and embarked for Philadelphia. As we see him now, entering the city without money or position we recall the episode of the poor printer and the girl who laughed." Young adult Benjamin Franklin walking along sidewalk, passing house, eating something, looking around. Franklin continues walk; young adult Caucasian woman comes outside. Franklin almost walks by her but stops and turns to see her. Woman, at top of stairs, has her hand over her mouth, turns slowly in a circle. Text card: "Some years later this little lady became Mrs. Benjamin Franklin and was proud of the title." Young adult Franklin faces woman, takes off his colonial tricorn hat, bows to her, replaces hat.
Benjamin Franklin - Young Adult
Card: "In 1729, when Franklin assumed the publication of the 'Pennsylvania Gazette', some of his patrons objected to his course, so he invited them to sup with him and think the matter over." Young adult Benjamin Franklin setting table for dinner; opens door to welcome adult Caucasian male guests who enter and take seats at table. Guests look over place settings; one tries to leave but others persuade him to sit back down. Card: "The only provision he made for supper was a pitcher of water and a coarse of meal pudding, vulgarly called 'sawdust.'" Franklin enters holding large bowl of meal pudding, happily scoops spoonful into each guest's bowl; guests give a look of disgust. Elderly adult Caucasian male looking uncomfortable. Franklin asks guests to bow their heads and pray. Elderly guest smells the food, puts down spoon, declares he cannot eat. Guests get up. Card: "When he found, as he expected that his fastidious friends could not master such fare, he gave them the moral of the acted parable." Franklin gets up from table, speaks to guests. Card quoting Franklin: "'My friends, anyone who subsists, as I can, on sawdust pudding and water needs no man's patronage.'"
Benjamin Franklin
Card: "After a hard struggle, Franklin established himself as a printer and the establishment he founded is still doing business." Horses attached to carriages parked in front of Library Company in Philadelphia, PA. Card: "In 1731, Benjamin Franklin solicited and obtained a charter for the first subscription library in the North America. Today, there are thousands of such institutions performing the good work that was launched by the poor printer." New York Public Library. Card quoting Franklin: "'Knowledge if the key to understanding. There will be no excuse for common ignorance when books may be obtained free of charge.'" Adult Caucasian men and women walking steps to New York Public Library. Card: "Franklin, who procured subscription for the first free public hospital in America, and it was through his efforts that and Academy was established in Philadelphia, which is now known as the University of Pennsylvania." VS University of Pennsylvania, young adult Caucasian male and female students walking around the campus. Card: "During the war of the Revolution, Franklin was Chief Agent for the United States at the Court of France, where he was instrumental in obtaining a satisfactory peace with Great Britain. He was also the first Post-Master General of the United States." Statue of seated Benjamin Franklin, several adult Caucasian men passing by on sidewalk; one stands and looks at statue before moving on. Statue engraving at base reads: "'Venerated for benevolence. Admired for talents. Esteemed for patriotism. Beloved for philanthropy.'"