, 1876-04-07
Save Your Children.

of delirium trenens, besotted drunkard
His accomplished father gave him an an
nual allowance" and permitted him to
grow up without any profession or call
ing. Supply an idle young man with
money and his ruin is a certainty. Our
inebriate asylums are tenanted by the
sons of the men of wealth, position and
cultivation. The first step towards max
ing man of your son is to train him to
earn what he spends. The next best step
is to teach children to save money, be-
ginning at the age of three years. Where
there is family of children it might be
we'll to offer premium to the one who
saved the most during the year. Show
them the advantage of having money at
interest, and of having money in bank
that every dollar at interest is seven cents
more at the end of the year, and in about
ten years it grows to two dollars. Ex-
plain to them how, by having money in a
savings bank, bearing interest, that it
not only increases, but that by having it
where it can be obtained any day, oppor-
tunities are constantly occurring where
things can be purchased at very low
rate for cash in hand, and that always
purchases can be made to greater advan-
tage by paying for them at the time in
money.
Children are naturally initiative and am
bilious to excel-to get beyond others
the efforts, for example, which boys and
girls have made within a few years
to obtain the greatest variety of postage
stamps for their albums. Once get a
child to save money for good purposes
and he is safe for all time; for while he is
practising accumulation he is at the same
time learning useful lessons of economy
and self-denial, to say nothing of using
time in such way as to gain something
by it.
Any rejecting person must know that
the institution of savings banks has had
wonderful effect all over the country,
in proportion as persons are intelli-
gent and industrious, to stimulate an
ambition to increase bank balances, they
being looked upon with the greatest re-
spect and Difference who have the largest
sums laid by.
Teach the young, by showing it to
them in various ways, that persons who
have money on hand command the con-
sideration of their neighbors, and have
feeling of self-respect, elevation and
independence to which those who have
no money on hand are perfect strangers.
1t is to the habit of taking careot their
money, and the corresponding virtue of
habitual economics and self-denial on the
part of Germans who come to this coun-
try, that they are everywhere thrifty, and
are rapidly becoming the owners Of cor
ner lots, Of the best places of business,
whether in Wall street or Broadway.
The proportion of German importing
houses and of German bankers is con-
stantly increasing, and so are their ship
ping lines, and wholesale establishments
in every variety Of business. Let Ameri-
can parents ponder this.
In the City of Ghent, Belgium, with
out any law, merely through the instru-
mentality of school teachers, who have
had wise and conscientious interest 10
the welfare of those committed to their
care, fve-sevenths of the children have
become depositors in the savings banks,
bringing their cents and half cents at a
time. Of 1888 boys and girls in the
primary schools, 1858 have shank ac-
counts" amounting to 54,920. OF the
5000 little ones at the infant schools,
19,02O are depositors, with $4,000 to
their credit; these are among the poorer
classes who do not pay for instruction.
of the 1,079 scholars who pay for their
schooling, $40, had deposited $4,537.
The curious fact Is here seen, that while
little more than half the scholars who
were better of saved their money, nine
tenths of the poorer classes became de-
positors, showing that the richer chill
dren were less inclined to save than the
poorer.
A lady came to me the other day and
said that all her husband had to eat that
morning for breakfast was penny roll of
bread. A few years ago they drove car
riage, owned q house in Washington
square and had a country seat on the Hud-
son. Mother, the next time you meet
your children at the dining table, look at
your bright-eyed daughter and think OF
her begging slice Of bread after you
hare been laid in your grave; and that
merry looking son, with bis clear, smooth
face and high forehead, and countenance
all beaming with the confidence and hope
of youth; and what If he should come to
want, and be glad to get nights lodg-
ing on a bench at the police stationl
To prevent 1t give each one of them a
lob" on the instant, by which they can
fairly earn dime or two, and tomorrow
20 down to the "Dime Savings Bank" in
Canal street or Astor place, and open an
account for them.
Fairly earn was purposely written. To
give a child, or any one else, more for
doing their work than it is worth, lays
the foundation for injustice, extravaganza
and beggary. Such persons soon get into
the habit of asking more for their work
than it is worth; employers will not en-
gage them; they have nothing to do,
and must borrow, cheat, beg or steal, or
get discouraged and drink, and die forty
years before their time.
About one-quarter of the population Of
New York city is Of German descent.
You will see ten Americans lounging
around street corners in idleness and dis
sipation where there is one German, be-
cause the latter will work for half price
rather than get nothing-will work for
his board rather than be idleand take the
money be has in his pocket to pay for it,
and will continue to work until he can
get better wages. An American youth
demands full pay or nothing, and Is half
his time out Of employment, consequently
does not get ahead-"lives from hand 70
mouth" and his life becomes failure.
] Lemons were used BY the Romans to
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