School on a Bus (a.k.a. Radical Sabbatical)

While in Philly, we were able to park in a Wal-Mart right in the city and ride the city bus only a mile or so downtown. During our three days there, we visited Constitution Hall, Liberty Bell, and Franklin Court. The oldest U.S. Post Office still hand stamps all mail using the original postmark of “B. Free Franklin”.

Philadelphia is a city rich in colonial history. The highlight for me was Franklin Court. Ben Franklin’s numerous accomplishments as a scientist, inventor, diplomat, and writer, printer and publisher are described here. He was always working on multiple projects. He originally became independently wealthy as a printer, best known for Poor Richards Almanac. Some of his ideas include bifocals, swimming fins, the Franklin stove, the glass harmonica (or armonica), the lightening rod, the storage battery, the first library for loaning books, and the first volunteer fire company. He made 8 trans-Atlantic crossings on behalf of the fledgling union. During these travels, he became the first to chart the Gulf Stream. As postmaster general, he improved mail delivery between Philly and New York from an average of 3 weeks to 6 days. Always one ahead of his time, Franklin founded the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and was its first president.

Ben Franklin is another example of the amazing men who founded our country. As he himself said, “If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.”

P.S. There is a working armonica on display. Be sure to ask one of the Park Rangers to play a few tunes while you’re there.