The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-12
School Savings,

Fourteen years ago last March the
experiment of collecting small sums of
money from school children to be placed
to their credit as savings deposits was
instituted in the schools OF Long Island
City, n. Y, upon the initiative of j. H.
Thiry. AS the parent of this admir-
able idea, Mr.. Thiry has watched it's
growth with special interest, and he
has favored us with a table of statis-
tics showing the dimensions of the
school savings bank movement on Jan.
l. 1899. On that date school banking
was in practice in 351 schools, distrib-
uted throughout 50 cities or villages
and IA states of the Union; the total
deposits We're $649,247Ol, the amount
withdrawn was $441S25.S3, and the bal
ance due, $2O7.4211S, an increase over
the balance due on Jan. /, 1898, Of $27,-
76916.
In Mr.. Thiry's table seven schools in
Scranton are represented. School No.
10, Josephine d. Lees principal, was the
first Of the local schools to open a saw
ings account, the date of it's institution
being Dec. :, 1897. On Jan. last of
597 registered pupils $50 We're deposit
ors, their total deposits having been
$S70.99, of which but 500 had been with
drawn. School 32, H L. Morgan prin-
cipal, began Jan. II, 1898, and had, on
Jan. last, S633i on deposit, represent
ing 1856 depostors out of total regis
tratiOn of 1906, There had been no with
drawals. Eight days later School 10,
David Owens principal, opened a saw
ings account and at the date of Mr..
Thiry's report there was a total de-
posit Of $s9620 and a total withdrawal
of 500, representing the savings Of 325
pupils out of an enrolled attendance
of J25. School 81, ]. b. Hawker prin-
cipal, began March 2S, 1898, and had at
date Of reckoning s325.7S on deposit, the
savings of 169 out of $40 enrolled pupils.
School 80 Maggie O'Donnell principal,
began the first day of last October and
in three months had S11633 on deposit,
the savings of 221 out of 342 registered
pupils. School 9, w. r. Graves prin-
cipal, began Oct. last and had, on
Jan. /, $S766, belonging to 119 among
269 pupils. School %, j. j. Costello prin-
cipal, began Oct 10 and by the end OF
the year had s74.2S, belonging to 1O5 of
$50 pupils. The total deposits for these
seven Scranton schools, Jan. last, was
$2.43t77, an average deposit of $1.71
The Withdrawals averaged less than {
cents for each Of the LAPS depositors.
Writing of the merits of this feature
OF school work, Mr.. Thiry well says:
1.-THE great object Of education is the
enlargement of the mental powers and
final results in the character. Unless
school life makes pupils morally better
stronger and more wisely qualified tc
successfully share in awaiting activ-
tiles, II is unworthy Of the name. To
a stranger about TO become its citizen
a country reveals its laws, customs and
all else of established character ant
essential to the exercise and fullest in
tegrity OF citizenship. To this knowl-
edge the stranger has an acknowl-
edged claim. The world is new 10 O
child. He has entered the first stage.
of citizenship, and is entitled to con
slant, safe and wisest guidance and
instruction until he reaches lndepend
ence at maturity. To permit, not L
say, require, him to find his way by ex,
perimentation, the sowing OF wild oats
obtaining knowledge of the devlr;
weapons to fight evii--this is the refine
ment of cruelty. It is a crime. A civil,
ization which leaves the young tC
choose their own course and pursue (
at will is yet primitive. A child Is en-