City lights 300 candles for Penn founder

Penn and Philadelphia joined in the festivities yesterday as the region celebrated Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday.

City officials kicked off the party with a ceremony at the National Constitution Center, where prominent academics, politicians and a few Penn students lit 300 candles and sang "Happy Birthday" in his honor.

Penn's founder also received an inedible 8 feet wide, 14 feet tall birthday cake. The celebration will continue with a year of shows and lectures across the city and around the world.

Among the guests yesterday were Pennsylvania Governor and Penn graduate Ed Rendell, University Secretary Leslie Kruhly and a group of Penn students from Stouffer College House. People from a variety of fields that Franklin influenced -- ranging from police officers to philanthropists -- were also on hand.

Local CBS anchors Larry Mendte, Ukee Washington and Alycia Lane as well as Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) introduced groups that represented Franklin's achievements.

Each group then made a wish for the future on behalf of Franklin.

"We are celebrating a lifetime of impact on our country, on society and the world," Mendte said. "It is impossible to wrap up [Franklin's] achievements in just one word."

Two of the Penn students who lit candles on behalf of the university Franklin founded did not think the event was worth the effort, however.

It was "a whole lot of show for a whole lot of nothing" and a "waste of a lot of money," College sophomore Andrew Hill said, adding that he was asked by the Stouffer Dean Michele Grab to attend the event.

"They told us we'd get on CBS," said Engineering junior Ben Adams, naming his reason for attending.

But College senior Philip Berkman -- who also attended as a representative of Penn -- called the event "really cool."

"I think Franklin is an interesting guy," he said.

As the group of Penn students presented their candle, they said, "Franklin's boundless curiosity serves as a reminder for what all students can achieve."

Singer/songwriter Adrienne Young performed a song she wrote that was inspired by The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

The party was organized by the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, which was established specifically to honor the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth.

"Everybody in Philadelphia has worked toward this day," National Constitution Center President and CEO Richard Stengel said.

The University is one of the five institutions that formed the Tercentenary, which was supported by a $4 million donation from Pew Charitable Trusts.

Upcoming events on Penn's campus include a performance of music from Franklin's era at Irvine Auditorium and an exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art at 36th and Sansom streets.

Ben turns 300 - Yesterday marked the official kickoff of Ben Franklin's 300th birthday celebration - He was honored with an inedible eight foot by 14 foot birthday cake at the National Constitution Center - Events will take place for the next year across Philadelphia and in cities around the world - Penn was one of five organizations that helped organize the event, which was funded by a $4 million donation from the Pew Charitable Trusts

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