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Junto Club Indpls

The Junto was a club established in 1727 by Benjamin Franklin for mutual improvement in Philadelphia. Its purpose was to debate questions of morals, p…

Website: http://www.guruconnectoronline.org
Location: TBD (Downtown Indpls)
Members: 28
Latest Activity: 1 day ago

The Questions

The Junto's Friday evening meetings were organized around a series of questions that Franklin devised, covering a range of intellectual, personal, business, and community topics. These questions were used as a springboard for discussion and community action. In fact, through the Junto, Franklin promoted such concepts as volunteer fire-fighting clubs, improved security (night watchmen), and a public hospital.

This is the list of questions Franklin devised to guide the discussions at Junto meetings (from Franklin's papers, dated 1728, and included in some editions of his autobiography):

1. Have you met with any thing in the author you last read, remarkable, or suitable to be communicated to the Junto? particularly in history, morality, poetry, physics, travels, mechanic arts, or other parts of knowledge?
2. What new story have you lately heard agreeable for telling in conversation?
3. Hath any citizen in your knowledge failed in his business lately, and what have you heard of the cause?
4. Have you lately heard of any citizen’s thriving well, and by what means?
5. Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate?
6. Do you know of any fellow citizen, who has lately done a worthy action, deserving praise and imitation? or who has committed an error proper for us to be warned against and avoid?
7. What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? of imprudence? of passion? or of any other vice or folly?
8. What happy effects of temperance? of prudence? of moderation? or of any other virtue?
9. Have you or any of your acquaintance been lately sick or wounded? If so, what remedies were used, and what were their effects?
10. Who do you know that are shortly going [on] voyages or journeys, if one should have occasion to send by them?
11. Do you think of any thing at present, in which the Junto may be serviceable to mankind? to their country, to their friends, or to themselves?
12. Hath any deserving stranger arrived in town since last meeting, that you heard of? and what have you heard or observed of his character or merits? and whether think you, it lies in the power of the Junto to oblige him, or encourage him as he deserves?
13. Do you know of any deserving young beginner lately set up, whom it lies in the power of the Junto any way to encourage?
14. Have you lately observed any defect in the laws, of which it would be proper to move the legislature an amendment? Or do you know of any beneficial law that is wanting?
15. Have you lately observed any encroachment on the just liberties of the people?
16. Hath any body attacked your reputation lately? and what can the Junto do towards securing it?
17. Is there any man whose friendship you want, and which the Junto, or any of them, can procure for you?
18. Have you lately heard any member’s character attacked, and how have you defended it?
19. Hath any man injured you, from whom it is in the power of the Junto to procure redress?
20. In what manner can the Junto, or any of them, assist you in any of your honourable designs?
21. Have you any weighty affair in hand, in which you think the advice of the Junto may be of service?
22. What benefits have you lately received from any man not present?
23. Is there any difficulty in matters of opinion, of justice, and injustice, which you would gladly have discussed at this time?
24. Do you see any thing amiss in the present customs or proceedings of the Junto, which might be amended?

Any person to be qualified as a member was to stand up, lay his hand upon his breast, and be asked the following questions, viz.

1. Have you any particular disrespect to any present members? Answer. I have not.
2. Do you sincerely declare that you love mankind in general, of what profession or religion soever? Answer. I do.
3. Do you think any person ought to be harmed in his body, name, or goods, for mere speculative opinions, or his external way of worship? Answer. No.
4. Do you love truth for truth's sake, and will you endeavor impartially to find and receive it yourself, and communicate it to others? Answer. Yes.

Discussion Forum

Victoria Pardue-Edwards

Mid North Public Safety Committee - Now on Smaller Indiana

Started by Victoria Pardue-Edwards Oct 16.

Comment Wall (10 comments)

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10 Comments

Kirby Durham Comment by Kirby Durham 1 day ago
Let me know if anyone is wanting to meet and I can get a date and location set. I think this could be a great group, but I dont see anyone getting it started.
Kirby Durham Comment by Kirby Durham on November 9, 2008 at 4:57pm
when is the next meeting coming up?
Jon Clark Comment by Jon Clark on October 20, 2008 at 10:18am
How did it go Friday night?
Jon Clark Comment by Jon Clark on October 15, 2008 at 2:40pm
I would love to join you, but I am out for this Friday. Have a great meeting and let me know how it goes, please!
David 'GuruConnector' Hall Comment by David 'GuruConnector' Hall on October 15, 2008 at 2:39pm
Matt, what are you presenting on? or will it be a surprise??? =;-D'
David 'GuruConnector' Hall Comment by David 'GuruConnector' Hall on October 15, 2008 at 8:46am
Matt Theobald has volunteered to do our first essay! Any suggestions? Please read through the questions above so that we can discuss some of those as well.
David 'GuruConnector' Hall Comment by David 'GuruConnector' Hall on October 15, 2008 at 8:33am
Okay fellow Junto club members we are planning to have our first meeting this coming Friday. We just need to decide on a downtown location! Matt has suggested the Rathskeller so lets plan on meeting there around 7PM unless anyone has better meeting place.
Jon Clark Comment by Jon Clark on October 14, 2008 at 1:12pm
Excellent idea! Have you met yet?
Matt Theobald Comment by Matt Theobald on September 2, 2008 at 10:53pm
Suggestion: Rathskeller Biergarden is always a decent place for comradery and where many things in Indinapolis have been initiated. Not too busy at 5-5:30 getting busier around 7-7:30. Once the Fall arrives, the inside atmosphere lends itself well to meetings of this inclination and temper.
David 'GuruConnector' Hall Comment by David 'GuruConnector' Hall on September 2, 2008 at 6:04pm
Right now I am thinking we will meet initially on Friday evenings, 6:30PM, the Downtown Borders Bookstore Cafe, but I am open to other ideas for downtown locations (I live & work downtown :).
 

Members (28)

Victoria Pardue-Edwards David 'GuruConnector' Hall Cale D. Hollingsworth John R.(Dick) Troll Jason Bean Lou Begnel Nancy Hall Matt Theobald Adam Cmejla Just David Sean Feeney Erik Deckers Bruce LaDuke Timothy Maguire Tonya Beeler Jon Clark Noah Coffey Nwokedi C. Idika Mark Walhimer Patrick Sullivan Douglas Karr Chris Baggott Dee Ann McCloskey Clayton Stobbs Kirby Durham Nancy Lee Jason Noel Scott Semester
 
 

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Discussion Forum

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Just thought I would share this with some other Colts fans, ColtsCrew.com It's run on the Ning platform like Smaller Indiana is run on. -Mark

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