15
Apr, 2025

Sam Walton

8G History Lesson 120 Assignment

This week’s assignment was to write a short article on an entrepreneur that had not been discussed in class. I will be writing about Sam Walton.

Life and Career

Sam Walton was born on March 29, 1918. His family moved a lot, and Sam did chores to make ends meet. They settled in Columbia, Missouri where his parents bought a farm. Walton attended college, receiving a degree in economics and then served in the military from 1942 to 1945.

While in the army, he realized that he wanted to go into business and retail. He bought his first small store in 1945. He started buying up Ben Franklin stores, which are basically like a modern-day Dollar General. By 1962, he owned 16 stores.

Walton started the first Wal-Mart in 1962. It was a type of discount store, and it was located in Rogers, Arkansas. He expanded the Wal-Mart (later renamed Walmart) chain, and added new outlets. It became a one-stop shop type of store, carrying many different kinds of goods.

Walton married Helen Robson, and they had 4 kids. Walton was also a Sunday school teacher in his local church.

At the time of Walton’s death in 1992, there were almost 2,000 Walmart stores across the nation. Sam Walton’s children are among the wealthiest people in the world today.

Sam Walton is remembered as an exemplary businessman, and his mark on America will never be forgotten.

Warren Harding

8G History Lesson 110 Assignment – Part 1

This week I was to write about presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge. I decided to split it into two essays, this is the first part.

Overview

Warren Harding was the 29th president. He promised to help the U.S. return to normalcy after World War 1, but he accomplished little in office. His short time as president was marked by many scandals, which upset many people. Most people consider Warren Harding’s time in office as one of the worst.

Life and Presidency of Harding

Warren G. Harding was born on November 2, 1865 in the state of Ohio. He grew up on a farm, but his father later abandoned farming and became a physician. Warren grew up the oldest of 8 children. He tried many different careers, and bought a small newspaper company in Ohio. He became interested in politics, and slowly became more well-known.

Harding served as a senator, and was a member of the Republican party. He ran for president in 1920, under the slogan “Return to Normalcy.”

Harding didn’t do much in office. His biggest acts were to increase tariffs, and lower taxes on business. But the thing he is most remembered for is the scandals that took place during his presidency. Harding wasn’t the most honest man, and he didn’t appoint very trustworthy people.

Harding died of a heart attack while returning from a vacation in 1923. This marked the end of his presidency, and Calvin Coolidge took over.

Reference:

www.britannica.com/biography/Warren-G-Harding

Costs of College: An Interview

Personal Finance Lesson 115 Assignment

Today I will be asking my dad a few questions about his college experience.

How much did you spend each semester on books?

“At least 300-500 dollars. It was very expensive.”

What was the biggest unexpected financial burden you faced in college?

“The debt that I had to repay later, and all the time that I lost.”

If you could start college all over again, how could you have saved money by doing things differently?

“I would live with my grandma, so that I wouldn’t have to pay for room and board. My cousin did this when he went to college. Also I would take college courses in high school, so I could get a head start on my college credits. I would also cook my own food.”

Do you have any advice for young people who are looking to go to college?

“Try to find people who are doing the jobs you are interested in, and then apprentice with them or help them. Go to college if it is necessary to get the job you want.”