Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-30
centennial OF
THE SAVINGS BANK
IN THRIFT CAMPAIGN

NdiSds, lily, Alo', sept -o-EhoI
that are being made this year to conduct
a nationwide thrift campaign in celebra
ton of the centennial of the savings bank
were described in a number of reports
presented by the savings bank section of
the American Bankers Association at its
annual convention here today
Remarkable progress has been made in
the Introduction of savings systems in
the public schools and many large cities;
number of large organizations such as
the Young Mems Christian Association
and the Young Women's Christian Asso-
citation, the National Americanization
Committee of Immigrants, and the Cham-
ber of Commerce Of the United States,
assisted in the thrift movement; and
those who have been directing the cam
paign declare that there have been evil
dences on every hand of success in the
education of the people in the practice of
thrift, and though general statistics cam
not as yet show just what has been ac
complshed there are specific instances In
dicating a large gain in the savings ac-
counts.
On school savings, one of the reports
says:
Largely on account of the Centennial
| Thrift Campaign a great number of
school savings systems have been in
stalled. Last fall the schools of Albany,
n. Y, instituted a savings system and
recently report "A school banks, 1862 pu-
pills with regular savings bank books, and
an aggregate sum deposited of S6,073T.
Last January the New Jersey legislature
passed a statute making legal the install
l.lation of a system of school savings
banks
What we consider the most important
work of the year with reference to school
savings and entirely to the credit of the
Savings Bank Section. is the adoption by
the schools of tho City of New York or
uniform school savings system. There
are $40 schools in New York City and be-
fore the campaign 80 of them operated
school savings banks. So far as the sys-
tenn of doing business was concerned,
they were in a deplorable state.
"In Brooklyn slogan was adopted,
one Hundred New School Savings Banks
in 1876 BY the close Of the school year
116 school banks had been installed. thus
more than reaching our goal There is no
doubt that the total will approach 800 or
more before the year has been completed.
"A number of commercial agencies have
been organized for the purpose Of fur
njshing school savings systems to banks
and to schools in order to meet the grow
ing demand. The office of the Section has
received a large number of inquiries for
information concerning school savings
which have met prompt response. The
Texas Women's Bankers Association has
begun a statewide campaign for the es-
tablishment of school savings throughout
Texas. The growth in savings in the
Minneapolis schools is worthy of notice.
From 9712 children depositors in 1909, the
number has grown to 1926 in 1916: and
deposits at the end of the school year in
1909 of SALTS amounted to s43, ,372 in 1876
In the general campaign for thrift 5000
copies of a text book on the subject have
been distributed and interest in the mat
section of the American Bankers Asso-
ciation handled during the past fiscal
wear over hundred thousand pieces of
correspondence relating to the movement.
Hundreds of addresses on thrift have al
so been given in many cities. Chairman
V. W. Lersner of the savings bank CEN
tennial committee. in his report dealing
with the fifth campaign, says:
zone hundred years ago those who
planned the first institution for savings
had for their purpose the amelioration of
the condition of the poor and the inculca-
ton of the principle of thrift in the mind
Of the public thereby making better citi-
zens and prompting greater efficiency.
After a century Of campaigning the saw
ings in the banks Of the country total
over $500, 100000.
'.It is our object to secure 1000 COM
munities throughout the United States to
conduct this campaign or some campaign
of their own choice. If ever America
needed a movement Of this kind 1t does