Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-10
Fort WOrth'S School Thrift Plan

An interesting development in the thrift move
ment is noted in the correspondence to the Manu-
facturers' Record from Fort Worth, Tex. This is
the installation in the schools of that city of
welLdevised compactly arranged system of savings
by the pupils. 1t is connected with the operation
of home gardens domestic science and manual
training departments that the scholars may earn
well save, and have the opportunity, too, of
prohtably investing both earnings and savings
The Fort Worth savings plan inaugurated
under the auspices of the Council Mothers clubs
of that city. One of the National banks of Fort
Worth in cooperation with the council has placed
automatic saving banks in the schools and receives
the deposits therefrom and pays upon them four
per cent interest. The Manufacturers Record de-
scribes the operation of these devices as follows
1.-THE little bankers, machines, receive coins of
all denominations from penny to a dollar register
the amount deposited. identifying the coin and the
deposition, and automatically issues, in the form of
stamp, certificate of the deposit. The stamps
are placed by the depositor in folder arranged to
accommodate quantities of the amount of one dollar
and up, The boy girl accommodating stamps to
the value of one dollar in the folder may take it to
the bank and receive regular pass book with credit
accordingly. Thus is all trouble in the way of book
keeping, either by the teachers the school chill
dren, Obviated.''
This country as a nation has never acquired the
saving habit Other countries know the benefits of
thrift learned early and practiced by their citizens
through youth and middle age to competency and
comfort for their declining years. But, starting
with a virgin continent with resources apparently
limitless, we have to say, inherited the custom
of viewing lightly the Importance of conservation
and saving. The Fort Worth way of intoxicating
thrift begins where it should begin, with the chill
dren. Impressed upon them in the beginning both
by precept and practice it will undoubtedly develop
into the much desired saving habit asset, of
course throughout the rest of their lives. The plan
set under way in the Texas city would go further
and show it's youth the methods and benefits of wise
investment, another most important thing to learn
early
These additional features of the plan are given
by the Records correspondent as follows
Investments will be encouraged-proft
sharing investments-and the earning spirit.
The plan purposes the creation of market for
all the products of the manual training and
domestic science classes. Through it the home
gardening movement will be stimulated and
the growing of vegetables, flowers, etc., in the
back yards by the children will become some
thing more than a pastime; it will be made a
source of for the accumulation of
funds for deposit in the saving banks. Ar
rangement has been made with paper mills
to have representatives meet the children on
Saturdays at designated school buildings to
purchase waste paper such newspapers,
magazines, ETC., at good prices Securities in
small denominations, say sic to $25, and
bearing a larger interest than four per cent,
among them farm loan bank bonds, will be
available for purchase by the youthful
investors" ~. 3. -. /, ..3... ...,.
The progress OF the Fort Worth plan will
undoubtedly be watched with interest by support
ers of the thrift movement throughout the coun-
try 1t to be headed most effectively in the
right direction.