The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-29
is A PUBLIC Benefit
SCHOOL SAVINGS BANKS SYSTEM
PROVING A GREAT
THING
MOVEMENT IN MINNESOTA
Pupils by Banking Money Generally
Spent for Luxuries, Save Large
Sum and Acquire Thrifty
Habits.

School savings banks are the latest sub
jects of discussion among Minnesota ed
ucatorS, and the movement to initiate
system of savings banks in the public
schools of the state has been started.
Circulars containing a great array of
facts and figures to prove the benefit of
such institutions are being distributed
throughout the state. Already severel
such banks have been started in this
state, and it seems likely that the move-
ment will make as great progress here
as it has made in Wisconsin under the
fostering care of State Superintendent
L. D. Harvey. State Superintendent j.
w. Olsen, of Minnesota, has been urged
to agitate the matter in this state, and
while he thinks 1t matter which cannot
be officially enforced, he is in favor Of
the proposition.
In New York, out of a total Of 5000 pu-
pills, $4,000 have saved $S45,S34, which is
deposited in banks credited to these pu-
pills individually.
In Tacoma, Wash, seventeen schools
have savings banks for pupils, and in
less than year the pupils in these
| schools have deposited over $1,000 be-
sides having withdrawn $4,000 during the
| year.
Ir every city where it has been tried
it has proved a winning feature, and the
pupils themselves would not relinquiSh it
if they could. Money otherwise wasted
in buying candy and other sweetmeats,
| and trinkets INDUCED in by schoolchil-
dren, is thus saved to the credit of the
| pupil to be used when there will be a real
need for it.
| It has been estimated that the school
| children of Minnesota spend annually for
candy almost half a million dollars, not
| to mention the many other small ways in
( which their pin money is spent In St.
Paul alone the school children consume
about $500 po1nds of candy every day.
The savings banks system in the schools
| is found to encourage in the children
| habits of thrift and saving, and it diverts
| to good and proper use vast amounts of
money otherwise practically wasted.
System Works Well in France.
France has a national system Of
school savings banks. NJ. Demalarce.
whose authority on school savings banks
| is second to none, was inspired with the
! resolution of initiating scheme Of
! school savings banks on the basis of a
1 definite and precise scholastic institution,
or educational system by the Hungarian
patriot, Francis Beak He published
a manual which he sent out to all the
schools and colleges of the country, and
interested the government in giving
printed account books, pass books and
medals of honor for local efforts in the
/ direction of savings banks in schools, and
| sought in every way to familiarize school
| officials, parents and educators with the
/ subject. Twenty-one thousand teachers
| in France, inspired by a great number
Of public spirited men. devoting them
! selves to the task of forming practical
| habits of thrift thus spreading spirit
1 CT foresight and economy to the grown
! UP brothers and sisters-thrOugh the
| contagion of good example.
| Nothing succeeds like success, and the
| example set by France was soon fol-
| lowed by Canada, Australia, England,
| Germany, Switzerland, and Brazil and
the United States is falling into line. Two
I years of trial in France convinced the
1 parents that a school without a savings
| bank in it was defective.
The general plan Of the school savings
bank is to have the pupils save their
pennies through the week, and on Mon
| day turn them in to the school bank, re
ceiving slips of credit for them One
/ of the best known educators in the coun-
| try who started a school savings bank,
says of the system
"All here are in favor. Of school saw
ings banks. We find they do the great
| est good in localities where the popula-
| ton is largely composed Of the laboring
! classes. Instances are many where saw
/ ings accumulated by the children have
| been a great help to families in time OF
sickness, or when the heads of the fal.s.
lily have been thrown oGl 90 ~-k Still
| we do not consider this the most ben
eficial result attained. Habits Of econ
! omy and thrift are being formed which,
we trust, will ultimately 5s Of great
value to the next generation"