The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-04-15
Rockefeller Tells OF his Saving Rules.

a "lesson in saving" by John ID.
Rockefeller has been given the mem
bers Of the Bible class taught by the
oil msgnate's son in the form OF
copies Of the first ledger John d.,
Sr., ever kept.
The volumes looked like miniature
records from a business office, and
on their cover bore in gilt letters
the legend: First ledger Of q sue
cessful man OF affairs"
Mr.. ROckefeller's expenditures,
his Iegretable extravaganza in buy
ing a 81 so pair Of gloves, when nit
tens would have sufhced, his orderly
distribution of surplus pennies to
charity, and the story o. his ac-
cumulation Of his first $1,000 were
set forth.
81 was trained in business affairs
and | learned how to keep ledger"
reads the preface. The practice OF
keeping little personal ledger by
young men just starting in business
and earning money and learning its
value Is, | think, q good one. Ii IL
more than forty years ago since |
wrote Whist this ledger contains.
II find in looking over the ledger
that | was saving money all the
time, and that in the course Of few
years had saved $1,000. see that
from November "a, 1855, to April,
1856, l paid for clothing 5000. In
the same period ! gave away s5.5S.
In 3 month | gave to foreign mis-
sions 10 cents, to the Mite Society
$50 cents. To the poor Of the church
| gave 10 cents at this time, and 10
January and Fobuary following |
gave 10 cents more, and a further
llO cents to foreign missions. These
contributions helped me"
81 have told you before what a
pleasure this little book gives me.
Il dare not let you read it through,
because my children, who have read
ii say that / did not spell tooth brush
correctly. But then, you know, we
have made great progress in our
spelling. | have not seen this book
in twenty-five years. Il does not
look like 8 modern ledger. But
you could not buy the book from me
for all the modern ledgers in New
, York, nor for all they would bring
II shows what | received and Whist
paid out during my first year OF
business.
Il shows that from September 26,
llS55, until January /, 1856, | re-
ceived $50, and out Of that | paid
nv washerwoman and the woman |
! boarded with, and / saved a little
. money to put away.
! Among other things | found
gave q cent to the Sunday School
every Sunday. | also was giving
: TO several other religious objects
what | could afford to give regular
: lly, and il has been q pleasure to me
I all my life to do so.
z | had large increase in revenue
the next year. Il went up to s25 9
o month. | began to be a capitalist
. aud had regarded myself then a.
' we regard capitalists now ought tC
have felt ike q criminal because
4 had 90 much money, but we had nc
I trusts or monopolies then.
81 | paid my own bills and Away:
had little something to give away
In fact, am not 90 independent
now as | was then.
4 Keep q little ledger a. | did
y Write down what you receive anC
e te not ashamed TO write down whal
e you pay away. Ii will help you tC
save money, and that you ought t
?, do"
Mr.. Rockefeller cautioned th'
4 Young men TO associate only witt
-e people whom it was good to know
Is and then spoke about the struggl'
for success.
: "It il a mistake. he said, 'for
" man who wishes for happiness anC
u to help others to think that be vii
re wait until be has made a FORUM
/ before giving away money to de
E. serving objects. Chicago Ameri