Mentor: Benjamin Franklin

In the midst of World War I, this 1918 issue of The Mentor magazine turned its gaze backward to one of history's most remarkable self-made men. Benjamin Franklin emerges here not as the stiff portrait on currency, but as a working printer's apprentice who became diplomat, scientist, and founding father through restless curiosity and practical wisdom. These concise vignettes trace the arc of an extraordinary life: the young runaway who built himself into a respected Philadelphian, the inventor who tamed lightning, the writer who shaped the American idiom, and the elder statesman who helped birth a nation. What makes Franklin endlessly fascinating is his fundamental optimism about human potential, his belief that any person could improve themselves through discipline and application. This compact collection offers a window into how early 20th century Americans viewed their revolutionary heritage, and why Franklin remains the archetype of the American dream made flesh.