Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-04
SCHOOL SAVINGS BANKS.
Tend to Prevent Paupcrism md Make
Children Thrifty.
From Ruffalo Exnras1

-" nnu Make
Children Thrifty.
From the Buffalo Express
The w. C. t. U. has been successfully
promoting the cause of school savings
banks in the United States for eight years.
The system was brought to the United
States in 1885 by Mr.. J. II. Thirty, who had
used it in Belgium and introduced II in
Long Island City schools. The W. c. I. L.
became interested in the school savings
banks at Atlanta, Ga. where Mrs. ober-
holtzer read a paper on the subject at the
national convention in 1880. and adopted IL
as a department with her as superintend-
ert.
Children practically trained to I'M
derstand not that somebody owes them
support. but that they, themselves hold
the keys of fortune and can by taking care
of little amounts of money be able to help
themselves and aid others.
This method of teaching economy and
business methods Is in use throughout Bel
GUM and France, under patronage ot the
respective governments, while 1t is used in
part of the schools in England Italy,
Denmark, Germany, Hungary and other
European countries. The self-responsibili-
ty engendered by personal ownership. tea CHI
ers say. makes the children more zealons
In the pursuit of their studies.
The roll is called every Monday morning
for the collection of the children's savings
W hen the teacher has completed the roll
call, the money is placed in an envelope.
marked with the amount, sealed and con-
veyed to the principal. who acts as tenn
porary treasurer, If the school is graded
The first collection is deposited In the bank
In the name of the teacher or PRINCIPAL
VINO receives in return a bank book in
which Is recorded the amount deposited by
all the teachers, as a general school fund
"A deposit list copied from the teachers
roll book. must be sent monthly to the
bank in order that the accounts of the
scholars may be indiyiduallzed When a
child has deposited 81, ne is given a bank
DOCK ana becomes. through the school, a
regular patron of the bank. When his de-
pest reaches 81 or s. las the bank may
elecD, Ii draws interest at 3 per cent
The pupils are allowed TO take their bank
books home for a day or two at The close
of every month. The family interest
aroused by the monthly examination OF
these bank accounts has in many instances
already noted. had telling effect and older
folks have read lessons IN thrift through
their children.
The school savines-bank system is now I'm
successful use in 400 schools in the United
States. One hundred of these are in Penn
syivania. New Jersey and New York rank
next in number. The system is in eight
public schools in North Dakota in all the
public and parochial schools of Grand
Rapids, Mich. and in two or three schools
of several other states.
State superintendent of public instruc-
lion have expressed general approval of
this method of teaching thrift and United
States Commissioner of Education Dr.
Harris says: The school savings banks
tend to prevent pauperism. crime prodi-
gality and various vices and to make chill
dren thrifty, orderly, economical and dis
eliminating in the use of money. 1t has it's
influence upon all phases of economy and
propagates virtue"