Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-12-09
MEN SCHOOL BANK
Scheme to Promote Savings Among
School Children In Alma


deparment has other motives back OF
it, bat still there is without doubt q
certain demand for such an institution
Realizing the benefit arising from a
system similar somewhat in plan to
ths proposed government institution.
the school authorities in Alma, have
decided to try a banking system In
our public schools. the success OF
which seems practically foregone
conclusion.
For a long time. in fact ever since
school children have had any spending
money. it has been noted by the
Superintendent and teachers that
many far to manv children and some
who would not like to be called chill
dren any longer. come to school with
their mouths full of all-dav-suckers OF
their rockets filled with gum. drops,
prize packages or CANDY hearts with
harmless little sentimental verses on
them. Then too there we're brass
rings. puzzles. marbles and other
supperfuous and wasteful knic-knaos,
1t Is clearly evident that nothing
but harm can result from anything
like this. From standpoint of
economy and character building it is
disasterous. Saving, especially saving
spending money, is almost entirely a
matter of habit. so the habit of
blowing" every cent not absolutely
needed to take care of necessary ex-
penses When formed in early youth
sticks. to the later grief of the one
who has acquired it, Also the child
has 40 though of money except that
Immediate pleasure which it VIII give
him. Give a small boy n penny and
what visions arise before his eyes?
Are they not those of the CANDY
counter. So far the standpoint of the
character building. which is one of
the most vital functions of our public
schools, and from the standpoint of
every dav economy something mus.
be produced. which will counteract
the Unborn desire to spend every penny
the child receives
From standpoint less apparent but
only somewh less vital. also Is some
thing of this sort advantages. This
standpoint is that of the child's health
The dangers that lirk in the tempting
looking csndy-cigar or in the pretty
clay candy hearts. or in any of the
val ious cheap candies, have too often
forcihly revealed heretofore. OF
course there are pure food laws but
never the-less it Is well known that
most of the cheap candies ordinarily
sold at pennv's worth at any time
are unhealtbful. The care of the
child's health. then. also cries out
against the extravagant spending of
school children To prevent or at least
check all this, is the purpose of the
school. banking system. which is.now
being installed bv Superintendent
Ellsworth in the Alma schools The
plan is about like this. Each pupil,
upon request. will be provided with a
small bank hook embljng somewha
those of our city banks, Then as he
saves his pennies he can deposit them.
one by one, if he wishes. with his
teacher who will enter the amount
-, - e 40
him, just as the cashiers of our citv
banks do. The teachers in turn will
hand the amount over TO Superin-
tendent Ellsworth, who will make
checking deposits in each of our two
banks. keepirg "a small supply of cash
at his office The SUPERINTENDENT then
will he the chief cashier. Now if IA
pupll wishes 10 draw on his account,
he will be Furnished with blank
checks. which he can use. He can
write his check and 1t is good for any
amount up to the amount to- his credit.
provided il is countersigned by his
teacher. and right there is where the
rub with the pupil comes and where
lies one of the advantages of the System
The child will be ashamed to keer
his account drained to the.limit al the
time he will be ashamed TO be draw
ing constantly on his account wnen
he has to get the Signature of his
teacher every time. All this adds In
acquiring that woLdeful habit of saw
ing.
OF course there will be q slight
expense in connection with the opera-
ton of the plaD. The first will be
the bank books. These however to.
gether with other estimated inciden
tails, will cost the pupil less than four
cents a piece. This expense is very
low but the results of the system are
certain to be very great. This state
ment is not theory alone. it is based on
the result of observation of the results
IN both other and the Alma schools
IL has booo trial with succooo I'm q