Amigo, Dr. Bill Fry, will present this week's program, "THE WIT AND WISDOM OF BEN FRANKLIN". Ben Franklin, often considered the greatest of the Founding Fathers who fought for American independence, was a printer in Philadelphia and a leader in philanthropic, political, scientific and literary endeavors. As an author, he is remembered for his Autobiography (begun in 1771) and especially for POOR RICHARD'S ALMANACK, a best-seller still today, in which he shares his wit and wisdom through proverbs and aphorisms that emphasize prudence, honesty, and a systematic work ethic that have become part of American lore that exists to this day.
Brief bio of Dr. Bill Fry:
Realizing in kindergarten that he wanted to become a teacher when he grew up, Bill has taught English for 64 years. He began in 1960 at an inner-city high school in Washing ton, D.C. and then moved into higher education under the University of Maryland system where he taught writing and literature for 32 years. During those years, he chaired the literature department, published numerous articles on American authors and the teaching of literature. He was one of the firsts in English education to establish the weekend college concept a swell as establishing a series of literary tours, both domestic and international. In 1987, Bill was honored with the "Outstanding Professor for the State of Maryland," awarded by the Maryland State Board of Community Colleges.
Upon retirement to Oro Valley in 2001, Bill has taught literature courses for the Learning Curve which grew out of the University of Arizona and is now private, leads a forum at the Oro Valley Public Library called GREAT LITERATURE OF ALL TIMES, and has led numerous literary tours throughout the country for the Crizmac Institute. In 2010, Bill was awarded the prestigious Arizona Humanities Council Friend of the Humanities Award. In 2016, Bill was the runner-up for Arizona Library Volunteer of the Year Award given by the Arizona State Library Association.
