Getting to Know Ben

While doing some reading recently, I learned that Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was even more fascinating than I'd originally thought.  Dr. Bob Dewel, a retired dentist, prolific writer and local historian, has portrayed Benjamin Franklin on numerous occasions, but I have never had the pleasure of seeing his presentation. Instead, Ben Franklin has been someone I just occasionally read about in history books.  My recent reading, however, told me more about Franklin the good citizen, Franklin the conscience of our society, Franklin the inventor and Franklin the sage.  Ben Franklin believed in “good citizenship” and contributing to the greater good.  He saw volunteerism as each citizen’s civic duty.  Among his many amazing feats, Benjamin Franklin reportedly helped organize the first lending library in this country, a predecessor of today’s public libraries. He believed in environmental cleanup.  His inventions ran from head to toe, from bifocals to swim fins.  Perhaps what I enjoy most about Franklin was his keen wit and his ability to say so much in so few words.  I should imagine that if Ben Franklin lived today, he would be the most entertaining and successful users of Twitter.