Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-10-05

thing pushed off upon us to teach but the
home and the parents should do their
share
The Bangor papers are enthusiastic
over the success of the schools savings
banks in that city. The plan has been
working since last November in that
city and the common school scholars
have saved about $4,000 since that time
This idea is one that has been advo-
Gated by many people as a good thing
TO have as State law, establishing the
school savings banks in every town
and city in the State. 1t has not
met with general approval however.
and has never been recognized as Il
thing that is necessary, for more than
local option.
In speaking of the Bangor banks the
Commercial says: III the 460 chill
dren who are depositors in the savings
bank of the Bangor public schools con-
tinue to hoard their coppers and small
earnings and to place their accumula-
tions at interest, as future men and
women, they will not want for small
capital to help them begin life for
themselves; the present system Of
school banks was inaugurated on No
vember II. 1898, and from that date un-
til June l.. 1899 s2.62l.05 was received
by the teachers who act as cashiers in
the different schools.
The success of the school banks has
been far greater than was hoped for by
even their most enthusiastic support
ers. That the children We're as inter
ested at the close of the school year as
when the deposits We're first received
is evident from the fact that of the
81 621. .05 but $6S was drawn and in sew
eral cases the Withdrawing of the saw
ngs was on account of removal from
town.
According to the rules which govern
the bank system, when a depositor has
81 with the teachercashier, his money
is placed in the Penobscot Savings
Bank and he receives a handbook. OF
the 1,460 depositors in the school banks,
705 have books in the Penobscot Saw
ings Bank.
The Youngest children take the
deepest interest in the institution for
savings and the First grade. composed
of pupils in the primary classes, had
the largest number of depositors. 39S.
The Ninth grade. the last class in the
grammar schools. had but IS pupils
who were interested in the banks.
Miss Mary S. Snow. superintendent
of schools who early recognized the
merits of school savings banks and to
whose efforts is due largely the success
of the system which includes every
school in the city is highly pleased
with the success of the banks during
its first seven months.
The bank is now an important feat
ure of the Schools she said to re-
porter on Friday. and is generally
commended by parents, business men
and educators. The $2,621.05 which was
deposited last year would have been
spent for candy and trifles had not the
bank been in operation; now boys and
girls. who have good start on a saw
ings account would not have had
cent.
..Teachers and pupils are all inter-
tested in the saving and we expect that
the present year will be even more sue
cessful than the first season. The banks
make more work for the teachers. but
they are practically unanimous IN ther
enthusiasm and no complaints are
heard on account OF the extra itpoiS >.
The first school bank, which was
the beginning of the present system,
was started by Miss Mabel l.. Dealing;
her pupils We're interested and saved
all their coppers and soon there was a
generous sum in the treasury. Later
Miss blanche II. Elliott, who taught IN
The Palm street school, introduced the
saving system in her room.
! Miss Elliott's bank attracted wide
attention and aroused so great inter
est that II was finally decided by the
school authorities to have general
savings bank system for all the
schools.
| IAN the savings deposited by the pu-
nils are voluntary. There is nothing
! compulsory about the system and all
the nupils who are depositors became
such of their own free Will. Al. nrst
some people objected on the score tnat
the banks would cause endless trouble
s.. .ha parants on account OF the chill