The term “polymath” describes only a handful of individuals throughout history, but one individual it describes perfectly is Benjamin Franklin. He is one of the core tenants of this group that captivated my interest to such a degree it moved me to start this outlet. For this piece, we’re going to focus on a specific, underrated contribution of his – the Junto Club.
Origins of the Junto Club
Franklin started the Junto Club when he was 21 years old. He intended the club to be an exclusive group who met regularly in the interest of “mutual improvement”. He composed a group of twelve individuals: each from different vocations and each pursuing different outside interests. For example, William Maugridge was a mechanic and a cabinet maker and Thomas Godfrey was a glassmaker and self-taught mathematician. According to Franklin, the latter was the only person to ever leave the Club.
Club Structure
The Club met every Friday night at the local public house (bar) and the topics of discussion included morals, politics, philosophy, and scientific arts. A list of 24 questions written by Franklin provided structure for the meeting. In addition discussing these questions, members were required to write an essay on a topic of their choice and present it every three months.
Some of the 24 questions are listed below, with the number corresponding to the order in which Franklin presented them. The order did not change from meeting to meeting.
#2 – What new story have you lately heard agreeable for telling in conversation?
#9 – Have you or any of your acquaintance been lately sick or wounded? If so, what remedies were used, and what were their effects?
#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?
#21 – Have you any weighty affair in hand, in which you think the advice of the Junto may be of service?
Club Rules of Engagement
Besides the questions, another meaningful way the club established structure was through its rules of engagement. Most importantly, the exclusion of all absolute language: definitely, undoubtedly, certainly, etc. Only language which conveyed open-mindedness such as “conceived”, “apprehended”, “imagined” was acceptable.
This rule is the only one mentioned in Franklin’s autobiography and in today’s era of punchy mass media and unsubstantiated social media content, is an incredibly relevant one. Considering how productive this group was, maybe we should reestablish these rules of engagement for all our communication platforms?
Contributions of the Junto Club
The Junto Club’s contributions to Philadelphia included plans for the first lending library, the University of Pennsylvania, the Union Fire Department, and the first system of property taxes. It also made plans for a public hospital and volunteer militia. Again, these are only some of the group’s contributions. An exhaustive list of every contribution the Junto Club made over its 38-year lifespan would bore you to death, even if you’re a Wharton MBA.
The Modern Day Junto Club
Today, the concept of the Junto Club still exists in the form of networking and mastermind groups. However, a lot of these groups focus on individuals and their respective businesses. They are also open to anybody who has enough resources and connections.
I’m not trying to degrade these institutions. They are by-and-large worthy establishments and provide necessary communities to millions of people. I participated in some of them, and probably will participate in more as Becoming Polymathic grows. That said, the spirit of the Junto Club is not there in these modern equivalents.
The Junto Club was a lot of things, but one thing it was not was transactional. The only way a club lasts 38 years is by being about more than tangible benefits. There needed to be a greater purpose to their meetings. For the Junto Club members, that purpose was to improve themselves and their communities. I can say from experience the modern networking and mastermind groups I participated in did not have a purpose nearly as endearing. Their purpose was, again, primarily transactional.
Starting a Junto Club in the 21st Century
If you have gotten this far in the piece, you’re probably wondering if it’s possible to start a Junto Club today. The answer is yes, but it won’t be easy. There are exponentially more distractions today than there were in Franklin’s times and also fewer original ideas. Furthermore, the volume of established rules and regulations supresses grassroots efforts, although the internet has combatted this increased volume effectively.
These reasons shouldn’t deter you from starting a club, but it’s important to accept you don’t live in Colonial America. The modern-day Junto Club must follow a different set of rules to preserve the spirit of the original club. That spirit is one of commitment: commitment to consistent improvement of the individual, commitment to sharing these improvements with one’s community, and commitment to a life of purpose. Said another way, a commitment to being more…
Be More.
Become Polymathic.
Quote of the Week: “Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.” – Benjamin Franklin