The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-10-04
LEADING EDUCATORS
KEEN FOR THRIFT
School and College Heads in
Favor Making it Definite
Course Of Study.

The cornerstone of future national
thrift will be thrift study in the
schools and colleges of America. The
government is requesting all educa
tional institutions to include thrift as
a definite part of the curriculum and
educational leaders are supporting
this plan.
Four largely attended conferences
were recently held in Pennsylvania
at which school and college heads
pledged cooperation. Regular studies
in thrift and the providing of facili-
ties in the schools for the purchase
by students of government thrift Sc
curities were advocated. New Jersey
has already put thrift study into prac-
tice and Delaware has sanctioned 1t.
I Such leading educators as j. George
Becht, Deputy Superintendent of Pub
lie Instruction DR.. Henry II. Apple,
President Of Franklin and Marshall
College, and city and county school
superintendents of Al Pennsylvania
counties attended the recent confer
ences. Orrin Lester, Associate Ma
tiOnal Director of War Savings, Wash
ington, d. c., addressed the school
men at Altoona, Williamsport, Scran-
ton and Lancaster. Parochial as we'll
as public schools were represented.
DR.. Becht, as representative of the
Pennsylvania Department of Public
Instruction, gave assurance that the
department would cooperate in every
helpful way in promoting national
thrift. DR.. Thomas E. Finegan, the
new State superintendent, has been
urged by the Treasury Department to
introduce thrift studies as a regular
part of the Pennsylvania curriculum.
The plan is to have thrift taught in
graded courses of from one-half to
one hour each week. Text books for
teachers use have been prepared by
the government.
Associate National Director Lester
in outlining the thrift plan for schools
declared that they now have their
greatest opportunity for rendering
national service. Regarding the scope
Of the thrift movement, he said
Thrift is the peoples campaign.
The government is not simply trying
to sell stamps and treasury savings
certificates to raise funds. If it were
only a question of raising money that
could be done more quickly and with
less trouble in other ways. The gov
eminent is aiming to stamp thrift as
a permanent habit into the lives of
the American people. 1t is in the In
terest of and for the lasting benefit Of
the people.
"If we can teach thrift through u
schools and colleges we will improve
the financial condition of the Ameri-
can people and go far toward estab-
fishing permanent national prosperity.
The government plan of teaching the
American people he use of money
how to spend it-save it-invest its
not a narrow thing. 1t is not bound
down to the mere selling of govern
ment securities.
"There are two things for which
we are arguing. First, thrift in its
broadcast principles ought to be taught
in every school in America. 1t is for
you to say how that teaching should
be introduced, whether in the arith-
metic course, in history, in English or
in civics. But don't make the mis-.
take of Introducing it as an Incidental
course. Make it a positive course.
Second, facilities ought to be pro
vided in every school and college fol
the purchase Of Thrift and Savings
Stamps. And the aim in selling should
be to create a normal demand for
them, a desire of ownership, just like
the desire for any other article pur
chased" LIZ