Editing Benjamin Franklins Philadelphia (section)

== Education and Healthcare ==

Franklin's civic vision extended to education and healthcare, both of which were poorly developed in colonial America. In 1749, he published ''Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania'', which led to the founding of the Academy and College of Philadelphia (later the University of Pennsylvania) in 1751. Franklin's educational philosophy emphasized practical knowledge—mathematics, science, modern languages, and composition—rather than the classical curriculum that dominated existing colleges. Though the academy eventually adopted a more traditional approach, its founding represented Franklin's belief that education should prepare students for useful lives rather than merely cultivating classical learning.<ref name="isaacson"/>

The Pennsylvania Hospital, founded in 1751 with Franklin's crucial support, was the first hospital in British North America. Franklin helped raise the funds necessary for its establishment, including securing a matching grant from the Pennsylvania Assembly through a fundraising strategy that he proudly described as "the first instance of the conditional grant, which has since had many successful applications." The hospital, located on 8th Street between Spruce and Pine, provided care for the sick and injured who could not afford private physicians, while also serving as a training ground for medical students. Its founding reflected Franklin's conviction that public health was a matter of civic concern requiring organized response.<ref name="williams">{{cite book |last=Williams |first=William H. |title=America's First Hospital: The Pennsylvania Hospital, 1751-1841 |year=1976 |publisher=Haverford House |location=Wayne, PA}}</ref>