JUNTOS -- a procedure developed by Benjamin Franklin... and worth using as

This blog post earns me points toward several mini-badges for the following topics:
2f Explain information and compellingly persuade others of its implications  (The explaining might need more work, but I hope Scott Looney's work is compelling enough to move mountains)
3b Lead though influence  (I hope readers will see how to impose a viewpoint on friends and how to interrupt the lives of colleagues GENTLY by collecting items in a blog.  Many of these words were originally sent by text message and by email.   They are collected her for historical reasons and for the ease of reviewing these comments five years from now when we are all working in no-grade environments.)
3d Facilitate group discussions  (If items are displayed openly, then colleagues who are busy can check in six months later and catch up)
3f Enlist help (please click on the blog post HERE and give comments and make suggestions)
3e Teach, coach and counsel others (I hope by collecting our comments, we will inspire others to build on what we have discussed here)
SEE the list of Skills   TINYURL.com/AListofSkillsPDF To the group

Gentlemen
I want to introduce you each to the others on this group chat
Wenceslas
Dennis  
Jair
Ugur
Dennis -- Dennis Yuzenas is a teacher in West Palm beach who works at Oxbridge academy.  He introduced me to national history day.  When i wandered on that site, i found. Tinyurl.com/SunnHD.   Remarkable project
Matt -  Matt Blazek teaches in Maryland and he has a book of projects for guiding students.   Www.Tinyurl.com/blazekprojects.   
Omar -creator 
Enrique --  Enrique is a former principal in California.  He was nice to let me interview him in 2009 when i visited his big picture "inspired" school.  He created a "teach history backwards" approach to make history relevant.  SEE THE VIDEO ...and Enrique met ms. deeette naukana, a remarkable charter school principal  ...  EBOOK  TINYURL.com/PersonalHistoryEbook
Ionel -- 
Noel -- entrepreneur and founder of the John Corlette Society and promoter of JC's ideas   See the speech   see the FACEBOOK page
Wes -- entrepreneur, creator of a language learning system. and manager of ELSLeaders.com, a sailing school with a focus on skills. 
Will 
FEEL FREE to invite others to look at this blog post and the previous one HERE
1. What is Junto?

2. What is the history behind the idea (and why did Franklin use the term... and how did they pronounce the word in English?)

3. How can we use this idea?

4. The use of a BLOG to build

5. The value of inviting others to watch the conversation


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1. What is Junto?
The Junto, also known as the Leather Apron Club, was a club for mutual improvement established in 1727 by Benjamin Franklinin Philadelphia. The Leather Apron Club's purpose was to debate questions of morals, politics, and natural philosophy, and to exchange knowledge of business affairs.

2. What is the history behind the idea (and why did Franklin use the term... and how did they pronounce the word in English?)

RULES

Franklin describes the formation and purpose of the Junto in his autobiography:

I should have mentioned before, that, in the autumn of the preceding year, [1727] I had form'd most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual improvement, which we called the Junto; we met on Friday evenings. The rules that I drew up required that every member, in his turn, should produce one or more queries on any point of Morals, Politics, or Natural Philosophy, to be discuss'd by the company; and once in three months produce and read an essay of his own writing, on any subject he pleased.

Our debates were to be under the direction of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute or desire of victory; and to prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direct contradiction, were after some time made contraband, and prohibited under small pecuniary penalties.

3. How can we use this idea?
We can spread the use of JUNTOS by asking students to build their own junto or discussion group.   The rules (above) are laid out in the wikipedia article. 

4. The use of a BLOG to build (sustain) a conference or an on-going discussion
I started a similar blog at 50yearsofSubversiveTeaching.blogspot.com and you are invited to visit that effort to celebrate the Postman Questions  TINYURL.com/PostmanQuestions
In the same way, we can update each other on the progress of the spread of Scott Looney's idea...  as the YouTube views climb from 2000 to 2 million.

5. The value of inviting others to watch the conversation
Perhaps this public blog will inspire others to look at our discussions about The List of Skills CLICK HERE



List of questions

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):^[5]

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. Has 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 chest, over his heart, 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.