The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-12-13
PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC
SCHOOLS TO TEACH THRIFT

Education Congress Urges Its Per-
manency in the Curriculum.
To make the teaching of Thrift and
Economy compulsory and permanent
in all elementary, secondary and high
er schools was the concensus of opin-
ion of the prominent educators, who
met at the Educational Congress last
week at Harrisburg, Pa, to discuss
the current problems in connection
with public instruction.
1.-THE development of the habits of
thrift is a psychological problem in
the schools" said DR.. Benjamin An
drews, of Washington, D. G.. 1T must
be worked out in theory and In prac-
tice. Thrift can be taught in connec-
ton with mathematics by the prepare
ton of personal budgets and by the
c-ommon-sense application of the prin-
cipals of gain and loss. Then every
school should devote a special period
to developing the habits of earning
and saving. Every school should have
a bank in which the rudimentary
ideas of investment should be prac-
tically worked out"
To this end every possible means
was advocated. Miss Edna N. White,
of the State University of Ohio, thor
oughly emphasized the fact that In
our SchOolroOm ample time should be
given over to sound, fundamental OBJ
ject lessons in thrift, in the care of
school supplies, conservation of cloth
ing, expenditure of allowances and to
the first principle Of wise saving and
safe investment.
At the close of the discussion the
following resolution was presented by
w. Harrison Walker, of Bellefonte,
Pa, and was unanimously adopted
Whereas, The Federal Government,
through the United States Treasury
Department, has requested the schools
of the country to continue the sale of
Government Savings Stamps, and to
develop a permanent system of thrift
education, and
Whereas, The National Education
Association in a resolution of July 5,
1919, urged that 'all elementary
schools, secondary schools and higher
schools make compulsory the teaching
of thrift and savings, and thereby
give it a place of permanence in the
curriculum" and
Whereas, Doctor Thomas E. Fine
gan, State Superintendent of Public
Instruction for Pennsylvania, has stat
ed in a letter to E.. p. Passmore, Gov
ernor of the Third Federal Reserve
District, dated October 9, 1919, "T am
III ldNOI VI NV BOi II III q CNlSCu
curriculum for the public schools the
subject of Thrift :" therefore,
Be 1t resolved, That the Thrift SEES
sion Of the Educational Congress held
under the direction of the Department
of Public Instruction of Pennsylvania,
meeting at Harrisburg, November 20,
1919, heartily endorses the approval
given to the Government Savings
Movement by Superintendent Fine
gan, and urges that In the proposed
revision of the curriculum of the pub
lie schools of Pennsylvania the teach
ing Of Thrift and the sale of Govern
ment Savings Stamps should be made
compulsory and given a definite and
permanent place.
Among other public spirited men
and women, there were present
George E. Lloyd, Director of Savings,
Thrift: !" DR.. G. T. Took, Of State
College James Schroeder, of Lancas-
ter M. F. Jones. Of Tioga county e.
NJ. Moore, for the Department Of La
Dor and Industry; Mrs. Lloyd Shaw,
representative of the State Parent
Teachers Association DR.. w. d.
Lewis, Of Philadelphia DR.. John P.
CARRIER, of Philadelphia DIR. w. NJ.
Davidson, of Pittsburgh DIR. F. w.
Robbins, of Williamsport DR.. n. w.
Work, of Lancaster; DR.. j. L. Fina-
frock, of Mercersburg; DR.. George
Hecht. of Harrisburg, and many Saw
ings County Chairmen OF the Third
Federal Reserve District.