[86.] Franklin's original determination to secure money with his wife should be judged by the standards of his time.
[89.] Beginning with the establishment of the Philadelphia public library, keep a list of Franklin's plans and achievements for the public good.
[92.] The high honors accorded to Franklin by foreign nations have never been extended to any other American, with the possible exception of Theodore Roosevelt.
[101.] "Address Powerful Goodness." Thomas Paine submitted the manuscript of his Age of Reason to Franklin for criticism. Franklin advised him to burn it and concluded, "If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be without it?"
A facsimile of Franklin's motion for prayers in the Federal Convention of 1787, when agreement on the Constitution seemed hopeless, will be found on page 168 of The Many-sided Franklin. The convention, though much given to acting on Franklin's advice, was all but unanimous in defeating this motion.
[111.] Franklin's boyhood debate on the subject of the education of young women is reflected here as a settled conviction.
[113.] The great scholar and historian, Gibbon, agreed with Franklin concerning the languages.
[115.] "Inoculation." Will you volunteer to make a report to the class on inoculation and vaccination? The two combine in making one of the most interesting chapters in the history of medical science.
[117.] You will be interested in comparing the constable's watch of ragamuffins with the watch in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.
[118.] In many towns and cities there is much of interest connected with the fire department. "The History of Our Fire Department," "Fire Fighting," and many other subjects may suggest themselves to you for written or oral reports. Possibly some one in the class may be able to tell in this connection how Crassus, the friend of Julius Cæsar, gained a great part of his wealth.