Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-28
SCHOOL AND COLLEGE WORK
Fruits Of Ben Franklin's Bequest
Made 11s Years Ago.
AUsP1CIOUs OPENING SCHOOL YEAR
Ruling Against Compulsory Attend
anee az Devotional Exeriees I'm
Public sehoOIs-Eduea-
tional Notes.

BENJAMIN Franklin's bequest OF one thou-
sand pounds sterling to the city OF Boston
In 1890. and held in trust for IFS years, until
Il amounted to $4,000. has been devoted
to the erection OF a magnificent industrial
school. the Franklin Union. in which the
young mechanic may be trained in practical
handicraft. Andrew Carnegie donated
S4OO,OoO as an endowment fund.
The new structure is located in the geo
graphical heart of the city. It is a five
story building Of steel and concrete, with
outer walls Of Bedford stone and brick.
following the colonial style Of F'ranklin's
Gay. Its length of 100 feet and width OF
100 feet give ample room for the compre-
hensive courses Of study to be undertaken.
The decorative features have been well
chosen. Houdin's celebrated bust OF Frank
lin greets one at the entrance. Carved bas-
relifs protraying the staple products OF
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania are sur
mounted by the cost-of-arms of the Com
monwealth. Wrought-iron gates. the pro-
duct of artist and artisan, are used cffec-
lively. A series Of friezes illustrate Frank
Inns many characteristics, while several
Of his maxims. selected from Poor Rich
ards Almanac are inscribed on panels
about the lobby.
The unitarian features Of the building
include a lecture hall, with a gallery, Of a
seating capacity OF 1000, laboratories for
every branch Of mechanics, thirteen class
rooms, a library, etc, all equipped with the
latest devices. Instructors selected from
leading manufacturing industries will train
the pupils IN the practical side Of mechanl-
cal drawing; machine details, which means
the taking apart and assembling of all
kinds OF machinery; mechanism, or the
problems of ~pulleys, cams, gears, etc; arch
itectual drafting from the builders view
point; shop formula and Industrial arith-
metic; practical mathematics for carpen-
tiers and builders: Industrial chemistry,
with special reference to important COM
mercial products; steam engines ana boil
ers. dealing with their construction, use,
and heat generation; industrial electricity;
and the common application of mechanical
principles. The courses are open only TO
those who are employed during the day.
To all such youths and adults, Of the en-
tire country, this splendid institution and
the opportunities that It affords are avail
able by the payment OF an insignificant
yearly fee from So for residents to S2 for
non-residents.
The history of the bequest is an interest
ing story in itself. Franklin followed the
precepts of his own wise saws and aphor-
isms giving encouragement to virtue and
progress. recorded in his Poor Richards
Almanac" and which are familiar TO every
schoolboy. Surely, he had in mind his
famous maxim, "A penny saved is a penny
earned" when, with characteristic humor,
he devised that the gift OF $1,000 should be
saved and allowed to accumulate for 100
years. One thousand pounds sterling was
then a fortune. He stated in his will that
the principal and interest at the end Of 100
years would probably amount to about $3.50,
COS, of which $4,000 was then TO be used,
and the balance, about $155, 900, allowed to
accumulate for another 100 years. He fig
ured that, at the end of the second 1I
years the amount would be about $50, SO5, 600.
In making the bequest, he stated that II
was in recognition OF financial aid given
by his Boston friends which enabled him
to begin business in Philadelphia. and
which was the foundation of his fortune.
That young men in similar need might have
the advantage OF a helping hand. and be-
come ''serviceable to their country" he de-
vised that from the date of its acceptance
small sums of the principal should be
loaned. at 8 percent interest, to young mar
ried apprentices OF Boston. The trustees
who were named by him were to be the
selectmen, with the three ministers Of the
oldest Congregational, Episcopalian and
Presbyterian churches. The trust has been
administered all these years with Boston's
usual fidelity and success, In 1870 Boston
had a population of Is, S2O. Today metropol-
itan Boston, which includes several closely
populated communities. has a population OF
more than LOCO, 900.