A little history lesson

Many people are bored by history. If they didn't get to experience it firsthand, they are not interested in learning about it after the fact. But learning about history can be quite exciting, and you can discover some unexpected and, dare I say, surprising things.

Take our recent trip to Philadelphia. If ever there was a city made for the learning of history, this is it. Crucial events took place here, events that made our nation what it is today: a nation of people curious to see where the movie "National Treasure" took place. You can also gain fascinating knowledge about our Founding Fathers in Philadelphia. For instance, we learned that Benjamin Franklin, in 1787, decided that his "privy pit" was much too small given his social standing and had a larger one built. The historical significance of this is obvious. Since that time, millions of Americans have followed Franklin's example and remodeled their bathrooms. Unfortunately, many of them have not followed his example of frugality and have gone into debt to finance this remodeling.

You can see Franklin's privy pit today, through a glass-covered hole in the ground. Even the most history-averse person cannot stand at this site, looking down into the large, brick-lined pit several feet deep, without being moved to wonder whether people in Franklin's day used toilet paper.

Astute observers at the site will note that Franklin's neighbor's privy pit was only a few feet from his water supply. In these days of white-washing the truth, it is refreshing to know that the people of the National Parks Service, who oversee these particular historical sites, did not try to hide this unsavory fact from the public.

Also in Philadelphia, there is an old street called Elfreth's Alley, which is where they used to house immigrants who were unable to pronounce "Elfreth." No, actually, Elfreth's Alley is one of the few intact streets of rowhomes from the 18th century left in the country. And, if you believe the postcard about Elfreth's Alley that I saw in a gift store, "many of the original residents are still standing."

Those residents must be pretty tired by this time, that's all I've got to say.

Philadelphia, of course, does not have a monopoly on exciting history. The Alabama Historical Commission's Web site boasts, among other activities, an "active cemetery program."

The site does not explain what, exactly, an "active cemetery program" involves, but someone should check to see if there have been any mysterious disappearances of people on historic tours down there. Whatever it is, we can safely assume that it doesn't involve the original residents of Elfreth's Alley, who are still standing after two centuries. Maybe they are waiting in line to use Franklin's privy pit.