Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-01
CHILDREN STARTING
 BANK ACCOUNTS
Already 5a3 Have Taken Advantage of the Dollar Offer of Norwich Saw ings Society.

When, early in the year, the Nor Wtch Savings society advertised it's plan to induce thrift among the chill dren of the county by duplicating with dollar every dollar deposit made by child who was starting an independ- ent account, President Arthur H. Brewer and the directors could not, of course, foresee just how the ex- pertinent was to turn out. The plan was intended also to mark the cen tenary of the institution of the first mutual savings bank in America.
 The move of the local banking house with its nearly $19,000, 900 assets-all belonging to it's. depositors-was not, manifestly. anything required to give it publicity. it having fourished since its incorporation back in May, 1924. The project was purely a benef1cent one, and with this motive the sum of $1,O0O was set aside for the plan.
 The department was put in the hands of Assistant Secretary anu Treasurer Charles R. Butts. Natural ly, it implied increased work on the part of the banks force, but each one assumed the new duties Cheerfully
 Many of the children in Norwich and vicinity had already had pleasing ex- periences of the helpfulness of the Norwich Savings society, since that institution, wholly with voluntary and gratuitOus good will, had redeemed the children's precious accounts in 4OAos ctAlSI IIlc 1CI1uI C Ol lHe SCnOOl savings system of the Thames Loan and Trust company. It was adver- tlsed that each child was to make and control his own deposit.
 The success of the project has more than pleased the bank authorities From the date when it went into eff feet, Jan. 25th of this year, up to the close of business hours Monday there have been opened new accounts by a total of 5S3 children. Best of all, there 
 Jan. 25th when such accounts have not been opened.
 The boys and girls come from all over this county, and their ages range, as Mir Butts puts it, from 20 hours to 20 years!" For several proud fla the very day of new babies births to start the youngsters right in life by opening bank accounts in their names
 Then. too, a gratifying feature of the experiment has been the Old 1 Home sentiment which it has engen- dren of Norwich ancestry living in 1 states from Maine to Florida and as | far west as Illinois coming to the l banking house to open accounts in i those children's names.
 The anti-race suicide feature has been an interesting one also. Eight | children from one family have started | a savings nest egg, and so have six rom another household.
 So catching is the habit of thrift | that man yof the children now appear weekly to make deposits. one in par t1cular showing up regularly with a | weekly deposit of 50 cents.
 Second deposits have been made by 41 of the number of children on the list
 Only one child. a boy of 13, has closed his account, withdrawing his dollar and of course forfeiting the dollar given by the bank; but this young fnancier explained that he needed the money.
 To the especial gratif1cation of the bank officials, the children come from all classes of society, and their ear nestness, seriousness and newly ac- quired sense of self-reliance are some Of the most pleasing incidents of the experiment. About as many girls as boys have opened accounts
 The number of daily deposits, vary ing from 63, the maximum, to3 on an exceedingly stormy day, indicates strikingly how the boys and girls are taking advantage of the banks gem erous offer: Is, 63, 51, 36, 40, 27, 13, il. "A, 38, IS, 36, 23, 30, IS, g, g, 32, 8, g. 8, 8, $, 6. 3, g, II.
 MT. Butts notices that, in general, the deposits are fewer in number on very cold or stormy days, while the depositors are in the lead.
 President Brewer, Treasurer Lippitt and the bank directors are more than pleased with the children's response to the banks efforts to aid them in ] their financial start in life regarding the experiment as of the greatest suc- cess, during the short time the plan has been in operation.