Category Archives: Founding Fathers

Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln

Posted on by February 15, 2017

GeorgeWashingtonI have missed creating my Blog ever since the Christmas Holidays at the end of last year. Things got in the way. You know how life can be sometimes!

Here we are just a few days away from ‘”President’s Day”. I just wanted to gear up again about these men for which President’s Day was created and named. I’ll have more to say about these two men.

But I just wanted to clarify something. I have discovered in talking with younger people, that many do not know why we have a President’s Day. Many are of the opinion that on this holiday one can choose to honor whichever U.S. President they wish. It could be Calvin Coolidge, Jimmy Carter, or even Barack Obama. read more

Our Founding Fathers and Character

Posted on by December 18, 2016

George Washington learned character at an early age because of his father. Among other things, Augustine saw to it that George was mentored in penmanship, and at the same time, CHARACTER.

GW RulesGeorge learned the “110 Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation” by practicing his penmanship. This became an important part of George’s youth—learning character traits that he valued all his life.

After seeing the results of our last Presidential Election, I am all the more convinced that teaching character is now the most important educational topic that our schools should now be involved in. In athletics and sports, good sportsmanship is taught by the coaches and P.E. instructors. I propose it now needs to be taught as a part of the English curriculum, or in history, or as a separate course. read more

Founding Fathers and Words

Posted on by December 17, 2016

whom?“Be sure when you step,

Step with care and great tact.
And remember that life’s
A great balancing act.

“And will you succeed?
Yes! You will indeed!” Dr. Seuss

And so I was enjoying a show with commentary on a well know television station. Yes, cable. And it was going so well. And then at the end, the host had to add words like these: “Please join Kimberly and I on our . . .” Well, that interrupted everything. It stopped. Just like a conversation with Whom. Who uses ‘whom’ in usual conversation? read more

Benjamin Franklin’s Words

Posted on by December 16, 2016

Ben Franklin thumb pictureThere are some today who would like to subvert the Constitutional Requirement for voting with the Electoral College. Good winners and good losers are not much a part of our national character any more. I am amazed at the name-calling, the wishes against the duly elected President, and just the rancor.

I think we should listen to the words of Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention. Only apply it to ourselves in this situation. Here’s what he said:

“On the whole, Sir, I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the convention (or American citizens, in this case) who may still have objections to it (the vote, in this case) would, with me, on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility and, to make manifest our unanimity, (or the outcome of the election, in this case) and put his name to the instrument (or accept the outcome).” As quoted in Founding Fathers—Uncommon Heroes, by Steven W. Allen, 2003, page 199. read more

Founding Fathers and Troubles

Posted on by December 15, 2016

HeaderYes, our Founding Fathers had many troubles, scores of obstacles to overcome. Things that had never been thought about before, not to mention, done. But they went ahead and with the help of their faith, their fellow countrymen, and honorable leaders, they went ahead and did it!

You can, too.

As Dr. Seuss said: “Troubled by troubles?
Hope you’re doing okay.
I’m thinking good thinks!
They’re coming your way!

I’m thinking good thinks for you, too!

Character as Displayed by Our Founding Fathers

Posted on by December 14, 2016

Landsdowne paintingAfter writing my blog post about our Vice President Elect, and how he was treated by the cast of Alexander in New York, I was sent an email from a friend that originated from Maureen Dowd. She wrote about extensive background on Mike Pence, our VP elect. It was really well written and eye opening. Until that sad evening, I had wanted to go see the Broadway play. No longer!

I hope you would take the time to find it and read it yourself. Whether you like Mike Pence or not, it makes for good background information. You should be able to find it at topicsnytimes.com. read more

Founding Father’s Respect

Posted on by December 13, 2016

Sometimes the right thing’s not easy to do.
But not for you! Yahoo! –Dr. Seuss

It’s true, the right thing is not always easy to do.

GW RulesOne thing that’s not been easy to do this pasts election campaign, is to show signs of respect. I’m thinking of one particular instance where one of the candidates was attending a Broadway show with his family. Some of the audience wasn’t too accepting of him being there.

But then, in an unapologetic manner, even members of the cast, shouted negative comments and slogans at this person. Yes, in front of the whole ticket purchasing audience. The politician didn’t make too much of this. No real fuss from him. read more

Thomas Jefferson’s School Remarks

Posted on by December 12, 2016

ThomasJeffersonAgain that question about Thomas Jefferson’s relationship with Christ is raised. Was he really religious, and was he a Christian? As one of his last projects, Jefferson designed and built the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. He not only designed the buildings and the campus, he also designed the curriculum.

Here’s what he said at the cornerstone laying ceremony:

“May almighty God, without invocation to whom, no work of importance should be begun, bless this undertaking and enable us to carry it on with success—protect this College, the object of which institution, is to instill into the minds of Youth, principles of sound knowledge. To inspire them with the love of religion & virtue, and prepare them for filling the various situations in society with credit to themselves and benefit to their country.” (Founding Fathers—Uncommon Heroes, 2003, Steven W. Allen, page172.) read more

Was Thomas Jefferson a Christian?

Posted on by December 11, 2016

This is a question sometimes asked by those who never studied what Jefferson himself wrote about his beliefs. If they did they would find this:

ThomasJefferson“I too have made a wee-little book . . . which I call the ‘Philosophy of Jesus.’ It is made by cutting the texts out of the book (the Bible), and arranging them on the pages of a blank book, in a certain order of time and subject. A more beautiful morsel of ethics I have never seen. It is a document in proof that I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of Jesus, very different from the Platonists, who call me infidel and themselves Christians and preachers of the gospel, while they draw all their characteristic dogmas from what its Author never said or saw. They have compounded from heathen mysteries a system beyond the comprehension of man, of which . . .were He to return on earth would not recognize one feature.” (As quoted in Founding Fathers—Uncommon Heroes, 2003, page 178, by yours truly.) read more

Thomas Jefferson “Worth His Salt”

Posted on by December 10, 2016

I have been helping a friend edit a book he has been writing for 20 years about science. Just right up my alley. I learned that the most common mineral on the earth is salt.

ThomasJeffersonToday it is common to have table salt with your meals. It wasn’t always so. Now salt is in such abundance it is believed to always have been readily available—but that wasn’t always the case. Salt was hard to come by and very expensive right up until the 1900’s.

In ancient Greece, traders bartered for slaves with the commodity of salt. An unruly or lazy slave was considered “not worth his salt,” an insult still in use today. You may have heard it about some of your co-workers! But surely not you. read more