Alaska sentinel., 1908-02-06

Did you know that the smallest bank In the world Is right here In St. Louls?" asked an official of one of the large St. Louis banks. There Is bona flde banking institution in this city with total deposits for the whole period of its existance of only little over $500, and It's entire business Is conducted by one woman. 1t Is the chlldren's bank In the Ghetto, and though 1t Is one of the most interest Ing financial institutions in the city it Is such a tiny affair that you could easily put the whole works In your hat and still have room for your head"
 The little bank referred to Is an in- teresting nstitution-interesting for the originality of the idea which It and ethical work 1t has already accom- pllshed, and though small In deposits and depositors-no child over IA years of age is allowed banking privileges there-it Is very far from small In the scope of its influence, and Is really one of the most important economic en- terprises now being carried on In St Louis. Through its influence 500 chil- dren have learned many lessons of economy, self-denial and generosity, lessons which they are putting Into daily practice, to the great benefit of all with whom they come In contact. By means of the system employed by the bank the juvenile depositors are also being taught accuracy and orderli- ness, and if they are old enough to com prehend the instruction are given an insight into the elementary principles of modern business methods. Through the agency of this little bank many poor families of the Ghetto have had pleasures and comforts hitheEto un- known to them, because the pennies that formerly went for indigestible sweets or big fat pickles are now sav- ed, and when a sufficient number of them have accumulated they are used for other larger and more lasting en- joyments; and there Is one case In the banks brief history where boy saved enough money-S32--to go Into busi- ness for himself That boy Is now educating himself and also adding his mite to the general fund for the sup port of his mother and three small sis ters.
 Less than a year ago Philip L. Se- man, superintendent of the Jewish Edu- cational Mission at Ninth and Carr streets, established the bank for the purpose of teaching economy and lnde- pendence to the children among whom his association works
 The Penny Prevalent Bank Is really remarkable institution, and Is the only one of It's kind In the world. so far as IS known. Its depesitors are all children under 14 years of age, and many of them are scarcely more than babies. The youngest depositor at pres ent Is Israel Fellman, who not only cannot speak English, but Is as yet un- able to converse intelligibly In any lan- guage. He Is not yet months old, and his account to date amounts to nearly 30 cents. Many of the deposl- tors who appear regularly on banking days and stand In line patiently wait ing their turn to deposit the money which they hold tight in their sticky little fists, are So tiny that only their eyes are visible above the cashiers table. Some of them can make out their own deposit slips, and some can not, but all know very well what they are doing and why they do 1t, and the child who brings two pennies lays 1t down with his book with as much of an air as do those who can boast of having a whole big dollar" to ex- change for the fascinating colored stamps that are pasted In the bank books.
 Stamps are used to register the de posits Instead of the usual entry sys- tem. because they are not only more easily understood by the children, but they seem to have stimulating ef- feet The height of every child's am bition seems to be to get yellow stamp (the $1 stamp in his book, and 1t is one of the regular events of banking hours for the children to go off in little groups to compare books and see which has the most yellow stamps. The stamps differ in color ac- cordlng to their denominations. and even those children estimate their own accounts by adding the stamps In their hooks in this wise:
 1.-TWO nlckels. That's a dime, ain't itf Two pennies, one penny. two more pennies. That makes a nickel. got . dime and a nickel in my bank book !"
 No amount | too small to be ac-