Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-06
BANKS IN SCHOOLS.
A New Plan Proposed to Teach Chill
dren the Value of Dollar.
SAVING THE PENNIES FOR THEM.
Supt Luckey Thinks the Schools Are Now
Hampered Too Much.
AHARD SCHEME TO WORK IN THIS CITY

The establishment of penny saving funds
in some of the schools near Philadelphia,
and the probable introduction of the idea in
the Quaker City schools themselves has set
people connected with local institutions of
learning to thinking. The possibility of
having the arrangement copied in this city in
the event that the Philadelphia trials should
prove successful is thought to be not far re-
mote. The system, or its main points, which
are now under consideration by the school
authorities in the above mentioned city are
as follows:
The child desiring to open an account is
furnished with folded card, the inside of
which is marked into Sc squares. The rules and
regulations of the fund are printed on the out
side of the ticket, which contains, beside the
Sc squares, spaces for the signature of the de-
postor when closing and opening an account.
HOW DEPOSITS ARE MADE.
A child that wishes to deposit cent for in
stance, buys from the teacher or agent of the
fund l-cent stamp, and the agent sticks the
stamp over one of the squares of the card The
stamps are Of various denominations, ranging
from l TO 10 cents and as soon as the card IS
filed. or so soon as the amount reaches the sum
tral deposit station of the fund, which Is one
of the features of the system, and the pupH
owning the card is credited with the amount IN
aUeposlt book Just as savings bank receipt IOr
all money given into its care. The money may
be drawn at any time by the pupil presenting
the card at the place where the stamps were
purchased.
There is no interest paid on deposits, because
the money is not invested. Another reason is
that the cost of printing the cards and handling
the amounts of money is far IN excess OF the
par of 10 small amOunt UenOSIteU,
The system is intended to promote the practice
of economy among children and to teach them
the value OF pennies. Al present even those
children who are inclined TO put their numer-
Gus pennies in 4 bank find no means OF doing
SO except by utilizing the little toy bank at
home. THIS as is well known, generally acts
as a very great temptation to the little ones
when they see the amount augmenting until 1t
grows to dollars. While the bank is under
their control the many knick-knacks which de-
light the juvenile eve are prolific excuses Tor
raid on the institution at short intervals
BENEFITS OF THE PLAN.
The plan suggested above it is claimed.
would Undue the youthful mind with spirit
of Importance and pride at having real bank
account. Ii has been tried at the small city of
Chester, Just below Philadelphia. and has
worked well. The scheme was first introduced
in New York City about year ago, having
been copied from a plan now extensively in
vogue in many of the schools in Europe. and
also being employed In the postal penny savings
fund, which does away with all necessity for
bookkeeping fo- sums below 81 90.
Many prominent men in New York were instru-
mental in having it introduced.and established
in this country. 1t Is now IN hourishing con-
dition in New York city, although it has never
been applied to the public schools of that place.
The Charity Organization Society there main
tans il as branch of the association. 4 cen
tral deposit station is established. and many of
the churches, guilds. missions and offices at
convenient places are utilized as agencies, where
those in charge act as agents, and sell stamps
and administer the duties appertaining to the
scheme.
SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO SAVE.
There is no reason why the children should
not he given an opportunity to save their little
mites. Many penny which now goes to buy
some foolish thing which the child does not
really want and whose only motive for buying
is that the brown penny will burn hole,
fguraulvely speaking, in the pocket of the
child if it is not spent, could thus be saved
There are no banks in this city where
amounts less than 81 are received, and even
there the business is far beyond the grasp of
an ordinary child. In some cities there are
such institutions where amounts as low as 10
cents may be deposited Many of these are
known under the name of dime savings bank.
Superintendent George j. Luckey said We
have in our schools in this city about so 600
pupils and 10 institute such plan to my mind
would seem impossible The idea, of course,
has neve. been seriously broached. and there is
very llIIle llhelluOOu a pIOleCI Oh InaJ
kind would ever be suggested. The condition
Of things IN a large city like this would not al
low the successful consummation of
such a plan. and in my esti-
nation it would be impracticabe here for
various reasons. 1t might work well in small
towns where there is a fixed population, but it
could never be carried cut in city. The chill
dren it intended to benefit, you will under
stand, are never inclined TO remain in settled
place. Their parents move about from ward
to ward, and the trouble arising from the at
tempt to transfer or keep such accounts would
be too great 10 surmount- Besides this the plan
is virtually lmpracticabe because children who
need TO know the principles of economy gener-
ally do not have pennies to spare while those
who do have the change usually are in a favor
able position to learn the value of economy
from other sources.
NOW TOO MUCH BURDENED.
"The school is now too much burdeued with
out adding system of that kind to it. Teach
ers or principals of any one district might work
it with success where the conditions are favor
able, but the school system could not take
cogniLance of the plan. The trouble seems to
be that people think that every reform pro-
posed should first be tried in the public schools
when little thought would show them that it
could be enforced TO better advantage in other
places The plan ought TO be tried outside,
hut it wouldn't work in the schools. A small
country town, where the pupils are settled or
q Sunday school, might successfully adopt the
arrangement"
No Rival in the Field.
There is no remedy which can rival Hamburg