Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-21
THIS is A BANK FOR BABIES
Missouri Institution Where Only
Children Are Depositors.
low THE PENNIES ROLL IN
Youngsters Taught Lessons of o
omy and Thrift I'm Practical Way
-BusIness Methods Of
the Bank.

tlOn, but IL has no caplldl sNoSh' ~
tors and no officers, and its total deposits
for the whole period Of It's existence DO
not exceed $50. This remarkable bank has
the smallest depositors. in point of size tno
child over "A years Of age being allowed
banking privileges), and Is a very interest
ing Institution not for itself alone, but Tor
the originality OF the idea which 1t demon
strates and for the educational and ethical
work which It has accomplished.
This little bank Is IN the st. Louis
Ghetto and is carried on by the jewish
Educational alliance. Though small In All
material ways It is far from small In It's
scope Of influence. Through its influence
800 children have learned lessons OF
economy and 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 in this tiny oank the
Juvenile depositors are being taught ac-
curacy and o~rderliness, and If they are ola
enough to comprehend the instruction are
given an insight into the elementary prlh-
cinIes Of modern business methods.
Through the agency Of this little bank
many poor families in the Ghetto have
pleasures and somforts hitherto unknown
70 them. Pennies that formerly went Tot
lndiRestible sweets and big fat pickles now
ire saved, and when a sufficient NUMBER OF
them have accumulated they are used ior
other and larger and more lasting enjoy
mcnt.
There is one case in the banks brief his
tory where a. boy saved enough money
Y2-to go into business for himself. That
boy now is educating himself ana also
adding his mite to the general fund LOT
the support Of his mother and three Sis
ters.
The of the Bank.
The bank was started less than a year
ago by Philip L. seman. superintendent Of
the Jewish Educational alliance of st.
Louis. for the purpose Of teaching economy
and independence to the children OF the
district in which his association works.
IT thought said he, that not only the
pockets. but the stomachs of the children
would be benefited. II. instead OF using
their pennies for candy and other STUFF
that had lain exposed TO the dust and dirt
OF the street for nobody knows how long
they would save them for a definite pur-
pose, perhaps to buy a gift for father or
mother. or a new hat or a pair OF SHOES
for themselves.
81 saw also a splendid opportunity for
educational work through a savings oank
for children. who knew nothing ana
cared less about banks. Tn moral SIDE
Of the question appealed to me very
strongly also. And so we started the
Penny Provident Savings bank for chill
dren II has been a wonderful success
and has grown amazingly. 1t is accom-
plishing all that we hoped for 1t, and
other things also, and is constantly de-
veloping so many interesting problems that
II is fast becoming one of the most I'M
portant department of our work here.
we have a rule that a child may deposit
any sum he likes. but he cannot draw more
than 10 cents without his parents consent
and he must be accompanied by one parent
when making the withdrawal.
"There is no better charitable work in
the world than teaching the poor to help
Themselves"
DeposItOrs Under Fourteen Years.
The depositors Of the Penny Providen;
bank are all children under Il years of age
and many of them are scarcely more thar
babies. The youngest depositor at present
is Isreal Fellman, who not only cannot
speak English. but is at yet unable to con-
verse ntelligibly in any language. He is
not yet 9 months old, and his account to
date amounts to nearly 80 cents. Many OF
the deposltors who appear regularly or
banking days and stand in line patiently
waiting their turn to deposit the money
which they hold tight in their grimy little
fists are so tiny that only the tops Of theil
heads are visible above the cashiers table
Some OF them can make out their own de
post slips and some cannot. but all know
very we'll what they are doing and why
they do It. The child who brings two pen
MES lays them down with his book will
as much of an air as do those who car
boast Of having a whole dollar to ex
change for the fascinating colored stamp
that are pasted in the bank book.
Stamps are used TO register the deposit
instead OF the usual entry system, be
cause they are not only more easily under
stood by the children, but they seem t
have u stimulating effect. The height o
every child's ambition seems to be to &c
a yellow stamp 0he 81 stamp in his book
and 81 Is one of the regular events of bank
ing hours for the children to go off int
little groups to compare books and Sc
which has the most yellow stamps.
No sum Too Small.
No amount is too small to be accepted b
this little bank, and the amounts show
by some of the deposit slips would be reall
ludicrous II they were not so patheti'
Many Of the deposltors seem to have n
acquaintance with any but copper coin
and a few Of the bank books show vi
broken lines OF l-cent stamps.
There is only one bank day a week, SUI
day. from 8 to IL a. m. As early as
o'clock on that day the children begin
assemble at the Jewish Educational A
lance building where the bank is locate,
waiting for the doors to open. From the
until nearly noon they form an unbroke
line into the bank and out again and star
quietly and patiently as the line drags I
slow length past the cashiers desk. The
never seem to object to waiting and tn,
never make any sort Of disturbance. A be
acts as monitor TO keep the children
line and see that there is no unfair si
ping ahead In the effort TO get the
first"
This orderliness Is extraordinary In vie
? Of the heterogeneous assembly OF childre
Al least six distinct nationalities are re
resented and fully a dozen dialects a
spoken. There are boys and girls Of
stages of growth and comeliness. and
degrees Of cleanliness. from absolute nea
ness to the point where It Is difficult
tell what the color OF the child would
n It's fact were washed.
Business
The business Of the bank is conduct
exactly like that of a regular banking /
stitution. modified 20 come within 4
range OF comprehension OF childish mint