Junto (club)

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Junto Pronounced who-n-toe. Formed in 1727 by Benjamin Franklin for mutual improvement. The first of Franklin's projects for social improvement by collective effort in Philadelphia was the Junto, or Leather Apron club, organized in 1727 to debate questions of morals, politics, and natural philosophy and to exchange knowledge of business affairs. Ben Franklin was a gregarious person, who loved sitting down and having long conversations with friends and acquaintances.

History

Franklin organized a group of friends to provide a structured forum for discussion. The group, initially composed of twelve members, called itself the Junto. The members of the Junto were drawn from diverse occupations and backgrounds, but they all shared a spirit of inquiry and a desire to improve themselves, their community, and to help others. Among the original members were printers, surveyors, a cabinetmaker, a cobbler, a clerk, and a merchant. Although most of the members were older than Franklin, he was clearly their leader.

At just 21 years of age, he oversaw five men, including Hugh Meredith, Stephen Potts, and George Webb, who were soon to form the nucleus of a club, the Junto (Latin for meeting). Franklin was an outgoing, social individual and had become acquainted with some of the businessmen at a club called the Every-Night-Club. This gathering included prominent merchants who met informally to drink and discuss the business of the day. Franklin’s congenial ways attracted many unique and learned individuals, and from these, he selected the members for the Junto, a club that was to be dedicated to mutual improvement and knowledge.

All members lived in Philadelphia and came from diverse areas of interest and business. Along with Meredith, Potts and Webb, they included Joseph Breintnall, merchant and scrivener, who also loved poetry and natural history. Thomas Godfrey was a glazier, mathematician and inventor, and Nicholas Scull and William Parsons were both surveyors. Scull was also a bibliophile and Parsons a cobbler and astrologer. William Maugridge was a cabinetmaker, William Coleman a merchant’s clerk, and Robert Grace a gentleman. Grace’s wealth meant he did not have to work, but apparently he brought an intellectual element to the group, plus a fine library. The club met Friday nights, first in a tavern and later in a house, to discuss moral, political and scientific topics of the day.

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.

The Questions

The Junto's Friday evening meetings were organized around a series of questions that Ben devised, covering a range of intellectual, personal, business, and community topics. These questions were used as a springboard for discussion and community action. In fact, through the Junto, Franklin promoted such concepts as volunteer fire-fighting clubs, improved security (night watchmen), and a public hospital.

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):

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?
What new story have you lately heard agreeable for telling in conversation?
Hath any citizen in your knowledge failed in his business lately, and what have you heard of the cause?
Have you lately heard of any citizen’s thriving well, and by what means?
Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate?
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?
What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? of imprudence? of passion? or of any other vice or folly?
What happy effects of temperance? of prudence? of moderation? or of any other virtue?
Have you or any of your acquaintance been lately sick or wounded? If so, what remedies were used, and what were their effects?
Who do you know that are shortly going [on] voyages or journeys, if one should have occasion to send by them?
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?
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?
Do you know of any deserving young beginner lately set up, whom it lies in the power of the Junto any way to encourage?
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?
Have you lately observed any encroachment on the just liberties of the people?
Hath any body attacked your reputation lately? and what can the Junto do towards securing it?
Is there any man whose friendship you want, and which the Junto, or any of them, can procure for you?
Have you lately heard any member’s character attacked, and how have you defended it?
Hath any man injured you, from whom it is in the power of the Junto to procure redress?
In what manner can the Junto, or any of them, assist you in any of your honourable designs?
Have you any weighty affair in hand, in which you think the advice of the Junto may be of service?
What benefits have you lately received from any man not present?
Is there any difficulty in matters of opinion, of justice, and injustice, which you would gladly have discussed at this time?
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], to stand up, and lay his hand upon his breast, and be asked these questions, viz.

Have you any particular disrespect to any present members? Answer. I have not.
Do you sincerely declare that you love mankind in general, of what profession or religion soever? Answer. I do.
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.
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.

NYC Junto

http://www.nycjunto.com The NYC Junto is a monthly meeting that was founded in 1985 by investor Victor Niederhoffer, who hosts each meeting. Information about Victor and his activities is available at http://dailyspeculations.com/. Admission is free. No donation is requested.There is no connection with any political or religious organization or group. Invitation from Victor Niederhoffer:

"I invite you to come to the Junto and join some select friends who believe strongly in the sanctity of life, liberty, and property. Those of us who share these views are all too rare in this society. I believe all of us can benefit by meeting to exchange ideas and insights."

Junto’s October 6 2005 speaker will be Harold Evans, who will discuss his book They Made America: Two Centuries of Innovators from the Steam Engine to the Search Engine at General Society Library 20 West 44th St., NYC. "We socialize from 7 pm. The meeting begins at about 7:30 with a discussion of current issues and events. The featured speaker is introduced at about 8. The meeting continues to about 10. Discussions are lively, but polite. Participation by attendees is highly encouraged."

There is a Yahoo group, "nycjunto-discuss" where you can read the postings of Junto attendees and post your own comments and announcements

http://www.juntosociety.com Junto Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Public Education organization located at Junto Society PO Box 2129 Kyle, Texas 78640

<blcokquote> "We depend entirely on the financial support of individuals, corporations and foundations that believe in private sector solutions to Education problems."

Junto Partners

http://www.juntopartners.com

Junto Partners is an entreprenuerial incubator with angel investing and mentorship.

Junto Partners founded in 2004.

Founder Greg Warnock quote: I structured a leveraged purchase of a chemical distribution company of California After completing my MBA at the University of Utah. I sold the business in 1991, with a large portion of the sales price to be paid over a seven year note. The result was that I was looking at several years that I could pursue entrepreneurial activities without too much concern for immediate income. "Entrepreneurship can solve problems, create value, unlock human potential, improve lives and foster independence and confidence," said Warnock. "However, it is a career choice with its own risks, which can include financial losses, loneliness, public failure and marital stress. By addressing some fundamental characteristics of typical entrepreneurship, the Junto approach hopes to mitigate some of these risks."

Junto Partners Overview

Recognizing an untapped potential in younger entrepreneurs The Junto program follows a systematic process to identify entrepreneurs with the greatest probabilities of success. It then provides relevant training and experience; financing for business launches; and ongoing high-level networking and mentoring opportunities

The core goals of the Junto program include:

Identify and select leading candidates who have the qualities of successful entrepreneurs.
Identify business opportunities.
Create a partnership of five to seven top entrepreneurs to start and run separate businesses, each with an equity stake in the others.
Build highly adaptable, nimble companies that require minimal capital, and can effectively enter the market and take advantage of market shifts.

Leading Junto candidates are formed into teams, with shared incentives that encourage them to make their own business and the businesses of the other team members successful.

Seed and start-up capital is provided for these entrepreneurs and their respective businesses. Junto entrepreneurs have access to experienced mentors to advise and assist them, and to an established professional network that will provide them with the advice, skills, resources and credibility that is necessary to succeed.

For 2006, the Junto program will consist of a three-hour session held once a week for seven weeks. This leads to the selection of five entrepreneurs and one alternate to launch/buy/build businesses.

Junto (rock band)

http://www.junto.com.au/news/ Junto is an Australian hard-art rock band motivated by their passion for music and the live arena.They have just completed tour in support of album as of 9/1/2005.

Their sound is delivered using the customary rock instrumentation of guitar, bass and drums and further incorporates , Cello, Loops, keys and pan flute, to define their sound. Their music stealth's between distant melodic whisperings and intense groove rock riffing.

Kane Sarich - Vocals * Matthew Yovich - Drums * Joseph Berry - Guitar * Barnaby Smith- Bass

Debut self-titled EP

Produced by Tim Powles (iota, George Byrne, Switchkicker, Hitchcocks Regret, The Church)
Mastered by Don Bartley at Studio 301
lead track ISM

External links