Benjamin Franklin And The Establishment Of Philadelphia College

Benjamin Franklin is a great scientist、politician and writer in the eighteenth century ofAmerica, one of the influential representative figures in the history of the United States and oneof the famous leaders in American independence movement, called “The father of confederation”by Americans respectfully. The figure which is printed on one hundred dollar is BenjaminFranklin. As a Transitional personage from Puritan era to the age of enlightenment, BenjaminFranklin’s contribution to Politics, science, economy, literature, etc is well known by us. In facthe is also an expert in education. Benjamin Franklin has contributed a lot to the development ofeducation in Philadelphia in North American Colonial Period; we can say he is an outstandingeducator. One of the distinguished Ivy League schools，in the campus of the University ofPennsylvania Located in Philadelphia, we can see Benjamin Franklin’s sculpture everywhere,everyone in the University of Pennsylvania is proud of him. Because the prestigious Universityof Pennsylvania comes from a college found by Benjamin Franklin---Philadelphia College.As is well known, American higher education is from religion. The purpose of foundingColonies colleges is for the sake of religion, and controlled by each denomination more or less.As the development of the Great Awakening, the religious property of colleges found in latecolonial period weakens little by little. The characteristic of the school teaching courses showmore emphasis on servicing society and secularism. Especially represent by Philadelphia Collegewhich is a non-religious college and found by Benjamin Franklin. This thesis contains five parts,chapter one is foreword. Chapter two clarifies the cultural background of establishing ofPhiladelphia College. Chapter three expounds the process of establishing Philadelphia AcademySchool. Chapter four discusses Philadelphia Academy School upgrades to Philadelphia College.Chapter five expounds the meaning of the establishment of Philadelphia College and theinfluence of Benjamin Franklin’s thought of education. By the way of collecting, sorting,analysis and comparison relevant writings and thesis, Rethink Benjamin Franklin’s educationalthoughts’ historical value, theoretical value and practice value from the perspective of highereducation sociology and higher education management, this is instructive and meaningful for usto deepen education research, reform mode of school running and promote the practice.