The evening world., 1910-12-30

(L@ These are the be-
rHI lloyd RrTrsS'H liefs hat caused
John II. Thirty OF Long Island City to
found the nr.t school savings bank In
1885. A few days ago Superintendent
Of Schools william II. Maxwell, before
the Board Of Education. recommended
that Mr.. Thiry's savings oank system
be established in every school In this
city.
"of course I am pleased that Mr..
Maxwell should do this said MI
Thirty. 4 nave worked hard to make
the system a success. but. after all.
every one must nav a hobby OF some
kind IL he wants to keep out OF mis-
chief.
School Bank His Hobby.
THE school savings bank has been
my hobby. and I would feel very proud
to see 1t in operation throughout :he
country. I am sure, very sure, the idea
would meet with the cooperation OF
the scholars. Just here. around the cor
ner from me, there Is a school with 1850
pupils. An average Of sl2j is deposited
every Monday morning."
We were seated in the library OF Mr..
Thiry's home at No. ISL Academy street,
and before him or a table was a pile
OF books and papers from which he had
been compiling statistics. His gold
trimmed spectacies were slipped we'll
down his nose. the better to focus the
figures to which he referred. His hands
moved with the swiftness OF familiarity
over the pages.
"And can the children draw their
money out Of the School Savings Bank
whenever they wish?' I asked.
Certainly; why not?" replied Mr..
Thirty. Tho system Is just like any
other banking system. There is no dir
ference. The deposits are mad on Nom
days. Girls and boys give their money
to their teachers once a week, early In
the morning. before the class has been
called to rider.
Adopted Stamp System.
Before this idea was Incorporated In
any way In the Manhattan schools I
had numerous and long conferences with
public officials. with the result that the
English system OF giving stamps for the
amount OF money deposited was adopted.
Now almost any day at the building at
Twenty-third street and Fourth avenue
which is practically devoted to chill
dren's interests, may be seen a line OF
little ones before a window. where for
their ive-cent deposit they get a book,
which when filled may be turned In for
n dollar book, and so on as the account
grows"
But how. when you first started Il.
did you think the system Won benefit
the children?" / queried.
"Principlss inouloatsd into the
character work silently" Mr.. Thirty
answered. I'VE can only Judge OF
their worth in the completed life.
But one thing 10 sure: the orderly
processes OF wage-sarning are flu
damental to prosperity, whother OF
the individual or Of the nation.
by this Is meant that to industry
must be added prudence and economy
for the proper h~usbandry Of Its re-
wards.
A Work.a-Day World.
This is a work-a-day world. wherein
the law OF toll makes the winning of a
livelihood by the masses a daily task.
you cannot begin to teach the
child too early. As metal 10 poured
into the moul in the formation Of
. statue. ~ h dnal form 10 nxsd
when the metal 10 settled and
cooled, 30 In children and youth
are cast the inhusucss n thoughts
sAeb SDsSbABa too AI0 OI hItOI
years.
"Thirty-five years ago sold out my
business in New York and retired" con-
tinued Mr. Thirty. "and directly follow
Ing my retirement l began taking an
interest in educational matters, an In
terest which was at first largely per-
sonal. Just at that tine cigarettes were
coming into vogue and ] found that my
boys were taking An unwonted interest
in tho Hftla anrpAr utnrA uhArA hApylA
gum. candles and cigarettes were sold.
! did not mind my children buying can
dies, a reasonable amount OF them, be-
cause ! think they are good for chill
dren. But when l gave them five cents
or ten cents and they spent the entire
amount without a thought OF the value
OF the five cents or the ten cents, I be-
gan to understand there was something
wrong In my teaching at home or In
the teaching Of the chools the children
attended. | saw other chr zen doing
he same thing.
Found a Solution.
FINALLY, after much thought, I found
what I nave ever since believed to be
the solution OF the problem. / mean
the school savings bank.
II became a member OF the School
Commission and directly began to ex-
ert my influence toward the establish
ment or panRs IN the Long lsand CITY
schools. ! visited all these institutions
and explained my idea TO the children
and the teachers. l emphasized the fact
that the bank was to be an aid and not
a burden.
1.-The idea instantly appealed to the
boys and girls and the teachers and
School Commission as we'll. The chill
dren We're especially enthusiastic. The
parents were more than willing to fal,
in with the plan. II even stimulated in
dustry among the children, and they
were anxious 10 perform the little chores
about the house, which they had pre-
viously sh!rked, for the SAX OF the
amount 1t might add to their bank ac.
count.
Since the institution OF the schoo
So,I,,a I2opix A., TNp- IpIarl rgtv ~