by Becca Warfel
Sept 22nd, 2010
On Friday, September 17th, students in Neoga’s Jr./Sr. High School got a visit from one of the most notable figures in American History, Benjamin Franklin! Mr. Ballard, the school’s biology teacher, dressed up for the role of Franklin during the lunch hour. Students were encouraged to sign a piece of paper, “ratifying” the Constitution and could get pictures with Franklin.
The US Constitution was ratified on September 17th, 1787, and was signed by notable figures such as Benjamin Franklin, James Madison Jr., John Blair, and Roger Sherman. In 2004, Senator Robert Byrd made Constitution Day into a national holiday. Without a doubt, Constitution Day is an important time to remember our nation’s founding fathers and what they went through to secure our country’s freedom. “It goes back to saying if you don’t learn about history, it is doomed to repeat itself,” said Mr. Ballard. “We need to take an active part in our government….Rather than a holiday, it should be a part of our education. Sometimes we need to be reminded of important events to build upon them.”
Though we may not realize it, ideas that Franklin came up with are still around today. Sayings such as “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” were originally his. Franklin also invented the first bifocals, a device commonly used still today. Of course, his greatest achievements were his contributions to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
