I was listening to the weekending show of Paul Harvey and he was talking about Ben Franklin and his many accomplishments with just two years of formal education.  I decided to do a little research and here is what I found out.

INVENTOR - Stove, lightning rod, bifocals and many others...

MEDICINE - Founded 1st U.S. Hospital

BANKING - Well known for maxims on thrift

AGRICULTURE - Introduced several crops to U.S. including crop rotation

PRINTING - Noted Colonial printer - "Patron Saint of Printing"

ELECTRICAL - Experiments and theories - Kite & Key - shocking

INSURANCE - Started 1st insurance company

HEATING - Franklin stove - wow, never seen that one coming

COOLING - Had three methods of cooling

EDUCATOR - Involved in founding two colleges

OPTOMETRIC - Bifocal glasses

POSTAL - First postmaster - including the first woman to hold office in the United States

LIBRARIES - Started 1st circulating library

PUBLIC SAFETY - Started 1st police and fire department

RELIGION - Introduced idea of prayer in Congress

MUSIC - Invented musical instrument - glass armonica

GOVERNMENT - Held numerous positions:

• Clerk
• Postmaster
• J.P.
• Alderman
• Governor
• Ambassador

MILITARY - Colonel in Militia

MASONIC - Grand Master of Pennsylvania

DIPLOMAT - Ambassador to England Minister to France

COMMUNITY SERVICE - Street lighting, paving and cleaning

BUSINESSMAN - Owned and operated several businesses

PHILOSOPHER - Started American Philosophical Society

ABOLITIONIST - Started Society to Abolish Slavery

SALESMAN - Expert at marketing and sales

MERCHANT - Operated store as part of printshop

HUMORIST - Considered America's 1st writer of humor

TRAVELER - Traveled extensively throughout U.S.

FORECASTER - Published Poor Richards "Almanack"

FUND RAISER - Originated matching contributions idea

SAILING - Designed "sea anchors"

CARTOONIST - Drew 1st cartoon in an American newspaper

LINGUIST - Studied several languages and designed a phonetic alphabet

CARTOGRAPHER - Mapped the Gulf Stream and Routes for the post office

PHILANTHROPIST - Organized fund raising and contributed to many worthwhile causes

MENTOR - Acted as a counselor and guide to many of his peers

He did this all without more than two years of formal educations, but he was diehard reader.  No, wonder he needed the bifocals.  I think I need them now.

Read and you learn - build it and they will come

Dave Woodson

Your Mortgage Consultant for Life