Thomas Edison
Thomas A. Edison and the Modernization of America Thomas Alva Edison, 1847-1931, was an American inventor who made many contributions to society and helped revolutionize the way we communicate. Despite Edison's informal education and his inability to hold a job, his contributions and inventions had profound effects on the shaping of modern society. Growing up outside of Port Huron, Michigan, Edison did not have easy access to receiving a formal education. However, an attempt to receive a formal education was made. Edison first attended the private school of Reverend G.B. Engle. Unfortunately Edison did not respond well to the methods used to teach, and was considered a problem child due to his lack of attentiveness. He later attended school in Port Huron, where he was not considered to be a bright student. His hearing Problems caused him difficulty with his lessons and his attendance was sporadic at best. Edison lacked enthusiasm for obtaining a formal education, he felt that it did not encourage original thought or reasoning on put more emphasis on memory than observation. Edison's mother, Nancy, removed her son from school and started teaching him herself. By organizing lesson
In 1859 Edison got a job as candy butcher for the Grand Trunk Railroad, selling candy, newspapers, magazines, etc. Edison wanted to see if the gas would cause the boy to fly, but it did nothing but make him nauseous. In all, Edison received patents for 1,093 of his inventions, as either sole inventor or co-inventor. He received 389 for electric light and power, 195 for the phonograph, 150 for the telegraph, 141 for storage batteries, and 34 for the telephone. His last patent was granted to him to years after his death. Edison later left Port Huron to follow his dream of bein!g a telegraph operator in Detroit. After Thomas Edison moved to the Menlo Park Laboratory ho promised he would turn out a minor invention every ten days and a "big trick" every six months. Edison's desire to experiment and his curiosity unfortunately got him into some trouble and problems with employers as well. Unfortunately for Edison, after an accidental fire on the train the conductor forced the boy to remove his lab and the printing press from the baggage car. Receiving orders to break in on a line he did so, despite the wishes of the receiver, who happened to be the superintendent. Edison would later find himself getting in trouble at this job as well. Edison had to send the signal "6" to dispatchers hourly to ensure his alertness. In 1862, Edison started his own amateur newspaper, the Grand Trunk Herald, which he produced in the baggage cart and sold along his stops. Under his direction they handled the bulk of the design, research, and experimentation on the projects.
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