In the third Silence Dogood essay published in the 23-30 April 1722 issue of The New- England Courant, the Widow Dogood describes herself as an indefatigable student of "all useful and desireable Knowledge," and resolves to live up to her name: "to do for the future all that lies in my Way for the Service of my Countrymen." Benjamin Franklin himself demonstrated these traits--throughout his entire life he was a self-motivated learner and while he lived in Philadelphia he participated in many altruistic activities, helping to establish a subscription library, a volunteer fire department, a hospital, and an academy (which eventually became the University of Pennsylvania).

To examine the entire newspaper, please see the online display of The New-England Courant, Number 39, 23-30 April 1722.

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