The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1920-05-01
SPEAKS TEN
TIMES IN ONE
DAY ON THRIFT
Miss StOddard Talks to
School Children and
Teachers Thursday

.tf ifs' -
st. Johnsbury pupils and teachers
had the pleasure of hearing Miss
Marguerite w. Stoddard of Nashua
N. H., Thursday on the subject Of
thrift and she spoke in nine of the
public schools and at a meeting. of The
teachers at 4 o'clock in the aftc--
noon. Miss Stoddard is assis tant ed
ucational director for Maine, New
Hampshire and Vermont and at he
tfternoon's conference, which was ~
charge of Supt. Young, there were be-
sides the teachers, members of the
school board, treasurer Of one Of
the savings banks, and members i
the Womans Club and the Commer-
clal Club. After the meeting a school
saving plan for use in st. Johnsbu,y
was discussed by which the saw"
OF the children may be invested IN
War Savings stamps and in the 81
johnsbury savings banks.
at is particularly stimulating to
me to address an audience made ~
teachers" said Miss Stodard. "For it
IS the teachers that we are turning to
for the really big things in connec-
ton with the work of reconstruction.
The world is learning that, in any
big movement, the center of effort
must be in the school. When one
chooses the teaching profession we
assume that the choice is made be-
cause of real desire to serve GER
talnly no one teaches from a mercen-
, airy viewpoint; for, from the point Of
view of financial rewards -
yields more Inadequate returns and
1t IS because people realize the mo-
tive behind the life of teacher that
we turn to you now, not to ask you
to do something for us. but to let you
know that we can tell you how you
can help the whole world along the
road to happiness.
During the war we. as the
people. lived with an utter disregard
OF s-lf: now we have gone through a
complete metamorphosis, and the re-
action from four years when the
watchwords were patriotism and ser
vice is every man for himself
"People think that the war ended
in November, 1913. No indeed, the
war is not over until the war debts
are paid and the country is again
on the same living basis. And, if the
war is not over, then the need for se'-
vice and for patriotism is as keen OF
keener than ever.
THE present request of the gov
ernm-nt is very simple---just this BE
thlifty-and taht request is the sign
board that points to The Road to
Happiness Immediately there comes
into our minds ideas of scrimping,
! frugality, parsimoniousness, but tina.
conception of thrift is as old as early
method grammar and as far outdated.
Thrift means something bigger, finer,
broader. 1t has four elements
steady earning, careful saving, wise
buying and judicious investment.
"Neither profteers nor the govern
mant should be blamed for the high
cost of living; the difficulty lies with
the public, with the people who are
engaged in this mad orgy of spending,
the public that is demanding---and
paving for-luxuries. Here is the fact;
that we must face; for four years
men and women too, left their work
| of construction to go into mumtlon
factories to make other war supplies
or to fight; that meant a curtallment
of production. Not only that, but for
four years the forces of the world
were engaged in destruction. 1t IS
going to take years to make up the
deficit in the production of actual
necessities; and yet, we are all turn
ING production away from necessities,
and toward luxuries. We can't teach
all the older people in the world the
difference between what they want
and what they need, but through the
schools we can teach the children
these economic facts in a way that
will make the world, during the re-
oime of the next generation, happier
place to live in.
"The poor houses are filled with
people who are dependent upon pub
lie support, simply because IN the
time of plenty they eithr could not or
would not save. The support of these
people cost the United States last
wear 1920, 100000 They say that the
reason that France, as a nation, Is
such a happy country Is that hcr
people are not worrying for NIUE
petty debts It is a we'll known fact
that in time of war the stocking
banks of the peasant class pulled
the country through many month OF
financial difficulty. Everyone ha
their little hoard of savings.
"Now there are all kinds OF Thrift;
individual, collective, personal, fam
ilv. neighborhood, municipal, state,
national; thrift in time thrift IN
hsalth. thrift in money---therc IS no
broader topic in the world. In order
TO teach these things it IS neither
necessary nor wise to add any sub
iect to the already crowded curncu-
um. II only needs that each teache"
shall have it in mind for such regul #
n, incidental attention as may be best
=: -,b -,,hioct II X n fairly simple /