Experience the American dream with today’s Patriots of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s February 23, 1747. I’m with 15-year-old George Washington who has just finished writing his booklet, Rules of Civility.
JG: “Master Washington, could you give us an example of your Rules of Civility?”
GW: “Why, yes, of course, Mr. Gillespie. Number twenty is ‘use no reproachful language against anyone, neither curses nor revilings’ and number fifty-seven is ‘associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company.'”
George Washington’s Rules of Civility reflect the profound integrity of the man who went on to be our nation’s father and first president.
Read the full text of Rules of Civility.
John and Jan Gillespie are the founders of the Rawhide Boys’ Ranch; they have fostered 351 teenagers and wrote the book Our 351 Sons; they have also assisted numerous churches in developing youth programs and expanding their total church ministries. After running for U.S. Senate, John founded 1776 American Dream, which exists to demonstrate the vision of our founding fathers and help our generation of youth passionately embrace those values.
