Don’t forget your local heroes

by Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief, January 12. 2011

As a pre-boomer growing up in Philadelphia, I was exposed to endless teachings about the nation’s Founding Fathers. I learned about the clandestine meetings held with other colonials, the Declaration of Independence, the hardship of the Revolutionary War and the creation of The Constitution. Washington, Adams and Jefferson received much of the attention, but there were local folks who deserve to be remembered as well.

Most people are familiar with one of the city’s renowned residents, Ben Franklin. He made contributions through his wisdom, his negotiating skills and, of course, his creativity and endless parade of inventions. The city of Philadelphia, in fact the entire state of Pennsylvania, owes its very being to William Penn. And the seamstress, Betsy Ross, is created as the women who made the first American flag for General Washington.

One prominent man in the days following independence was Stephen Girard. A French-born seaman who settled in Philadelphia, Girard became a merchant at the time of the Revolution. Later he turned to finance and was one of the fledgling nation’s richest men.

Girard established one of the city’s great banking institutions, which was the principal source of funding for the government to fight the War of 1812. Throughout his life, Girard used his vast wealth for philanthropic purposes.

During two outbreaks of Yellow Fever in the 1790s, when most well-to-do citizens left Philadelphia to avoid contact with the disease, Girard stayed. He unselfishly organized relief efforts and personally cared for the sick.

One of his great humanitarian legacies was the endowment contained in his Will that brought about the founding of Girard College, a boarding school for poor orphaned males. This grade one through 12 educational facility operates in the city to this day.

A believer in earning one’s way, there are many stories about how Girard encouraged people to be responsible for their own well-being. One tale tells of a man who comes to the Girard mansion looking for a handout. Girard said he will feed the man and provide him with some money, but he had to work for it.

The man was asked to move several cords of wood from a location on one side of the grounds to another place. When the work was complete, Girard kept his part of the bargain. Later that day, another man showed up looking for a handout, Girard had him move the some wood back to where it was originally located. This became known in Philadelphia as “Stephen Girard Work.” He supposedly helped many people get back on their feet as long as they worked for it.

There are interesting stories about the people who helped form the foundation of your hometown and establish the values and traditions you learned about as a child. Check them out and send them to NewSeniors.com so others can enjoy them, too.

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief

Don Potter, a veteran of the ad agency business, is a Philadelphia native currently living in Los Angeles. He is the author of an acclaimed marketing book, The 50+ Boomer: Your Key to 76 Million Consumers. In retirement, Potter has written two novels, hundreds of articles and is a frequent lecturer. A leading advocate for those 65+, he is a founder of NewSeniors.com.

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