The San Francisco call., 1910-09-18

- Ridden faithfully and honorably, be they
aeroplanes or ideas on forest conserva-
ton, they make for good ItGs not a
mans vocation but his avocations which add the high
lights to his life Hobbies necessary in their
way a. food sunlight air For they only relieve
the nnonotony of succeeding days but give to living
q purposeful meaning"
This is the word of John Henry Thiry. The para
graph sums up the of life remarkable in many
ways one really begun after the three mile
stone was passed and which, the Is years since has
been full and complete. And the father OF the
school savings bank system. the man whose nvesti-
cations have aided in bringing to pass the postal
savings bank law has proved his words beyond
doubti their import is significant
Mr. Thirty who has been school commissioner since
1888 and is secretary of the local school board,
district No. Al, Kings county, l. l., introduced the
European system of school savings banks in America
IN which $15ooo,o0o has been saved by the young
people of the United States who have become depos-
itors In this bank Mr. Thiry for II years before
coming 10 this country in the Office of the Bel
gisn minister of public works, and it there that
he gained his accurate knowledge of banking which
enabled him father the school savings bank idea
here.
He Is native of Belgium and was educated in the
normal school of Bastogne. receiving 4 diploma
teacher from that school and also from the depart
ment of the interior of Belgium. He went to New
York city in 1889 Until his retirement he was in the
book business. It just after his retirement Is
years ago that the school savings bank idea was
started by Mr. Thirty in nconspicuous little public
school in Long Island, and under his enthusiastic ad-
vocacy it has spread until it includes the schools
of y states, and numbers 100000 public school boys
and girls among its depositors.
Despite his 88 years Mr. Thirty is still active and
slert-he is the father of q children fact which
stimulates greatly his interest in the rising generation
and his activities in their welfare Mr. Thiry studied the
school savings systems of all the countries of Europe
and brought this country the best ideas in practice
there. He visited many public schools and gratuti-
tously talked the teachers of the children exploit
ing his idea and urging upon them the value of thrift
BE is recognized throughout the country as the
head Of the school savings bank and to him principals
of school savings banks send reports from which he
complies statements which rendered to the gov
ernment-a work which he performs without salary
or charge and which is the pride of his advancing
years He is called the unofficial Controller" of the
public school savings banks of the country.
UNDER HIS OWN VINE
1t under his vine that Mr.. Thiry invited
be seated, in the little garden back of his resi-
dence In Academy street, Long Island City. Here it
cooler, he explained, and quiet. And outdoors,
among growing things, he could talk better especially
when It Of his hobbies. N'est-ce pas?
Every man should retire from business when he
has q competency. And to something like this eh T"
he began with a of his hand. Grown up people
like children in the first place. and in the second
place there is who does owe the world some
thing. For these two hobby or hobbies are
necessary A man must have something to occupy
his attention if it is only taking of canary bird
He must have plaything IN other words, or he will
not be content And should give something
the world which has given him what he has There
fore his hobby should be useful to others well
entertaining to himself. Ny experienced I'll tell you
I graduated from the first normal school in
Belgium in 1S45 I was q years old then, and up
until the time of my graduation had but one idea
in mind and that to be teacher. For two years
/ did teach, with the usual success. Then l went
into the Office of the minister of public works. where
] remained for II years. In 1859 1 came to New
York, and, following my natural bent, an almost in
ordinate love of books, l went into the book store
business Within couple of years buying and
selling Libraries fos people all e-er the world In
my store alone had $4,000 volumes.
I'm 1875 after lo years in this work, successful
years in good many ways, decided it was time for
me to retire did como to this conclusion with
out a great deal Of study. I don't think anybody
really abruptly leave off life work in which he
has become grated mind and heart without very seri
Gus consideration and preparation for such step.
L chose three hobbies-economics education and
gardening-and the IS years since then have rid
den them JUST hard 1 possibly could. 1 have
always contended that the person who finds and fol-
existence. I did Since my hfty-thrd birthday have
really lived"
An old, poorly dressed woman, who had difidently
approached US along an arbor path leading from back
cate, interrupted him with mute appeal for assist