The Washington times., 1914-12-03


West Chester. Pa, looked upon the
cigarette as the indisputable badge OF
manhood. In their more juvenile days
the corn shuck, filled with crackly
brown corn-silk, or the bit of brown
paper begged from the grocer and
stuffed with tea leaves. or again the
long black Indian cigars" picked up
beneath the Cataipa trees where they
grew. furnished the "smokin's'' by
which the boys constituted themselves
amateur priests of Fartagas.
Then came the time of the school
boys teens" when they were privi-
legged to purchase real tobacco cigar
cites, and to smoke them, as long as
they observed strict privacy beyond the
sight or their parents, and preferably
oehind the old red barn. But, totally
aside from the hygienic phase OF the
smoking question, the boys of West
chester were finding that the manly
cigarette was consuming their dimes
and nickels with surprising rapidly.
II was about this period in 1890 that
the public schools of the Pennsylvania
town established school savings banks:
a pIethoric account wherein marked
Its fortunate possessor as q moneyed
masnate among his fellows. all or which
appealed strongly to almost every
pupil.
Saves For College.
And that is how Addison L. Jones,
superintendent of schools in that town,
was enabled recently to write to the
Bureau of Education in Washington:
The savings bank has almost
veeded the cigarette out OF our
schools. 1t is the making of our
boys. One OF our pupils saved $50,
and is putting himself through COL
lcge. Another boy used his school
savings to start a little business and
he Is now partner in a good grocery
store here. 1 believe that the thrift
habit is Of more practical value than
anything we teach.
Or. to come nearer Rome, take the
experiences OF the Business High school
and the Eastern High School in Wash
ington. Three years ago, the first public
school bank in this city was started
under the direction of the heads Of the
business training department and Prin-
clpal Davis of the school. A board of
directors was provided for, and today
What was officially named the Wash
ington D. c. High School Bank has on
deposit more than 1900. including q
considerable amount of Christmas saw
ings and money be'onEing TO the lunch
fund OF the Mckinley Manual Training
School. Following the lead OF the Bust
ness High School. the Eastern High
School. about a year ago. established
a school bank, and the principal, DIR.
Willard Small, regards 1t as an entire
success.
Sense of Economy.
And that the public school savings
bank is a factor in modern schooling
which must not be overlooked appears
to be the consensus of opinions ex-
pressed by scores of educators to Mrs
Sara Louisa ObeI hotter, one of the
special cola borators of the Bureau OF
Education. Mrs. Oberholtzer is a resi-
dent OF Philadelphia, and Is one of the
most ardent workers in the school saw
ings bank movement.
Mrs. OberholtZer sees in the school
savings banks opportunities of develop
ing a child's individuality and self
responsibility. causing him to give the
proper consideration to the earning
value Of money and to understand II as
factor for comfort and a power for
good. She SAYS:
AS a nation We need 20 develop a
sense OF economy and thrift In gen.
erel. Americans know better how to
earn than how to save. We need
10 be constantly reminded that II is
not so much the lack of ability TO
acquire money as the lack Of juds-
ment in expanding il wisely that &C.
casions penury.
A large amount of practical edu-
cation-moral. Industrial, and eco
nomiC-would undoubtedly lessen the
proportion of crime and pauperism.
The nonprCducing classes. when edu-
Gated and trained. become producers,
thereby improving the community at
large. II the paupers and criminals
who are a drain on society and q
menace to civilization had been given
instruction in moral and practical
economy when young. few. II any, Of
them would have become what they
are.
II is very difficult: to teach Thrift
TO men and women who have grown
w ignorant Of its first essentials.
In children. however, We have IN
wrought material to work on. and
We can as readily impress them with
Tire ha bit Of economy as we can