The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1929-12-25
n III FIFE
90 =
Thrift

Why should every one as patrio-
tic duty learn how to save?
Benjamin Franklin was the first
person who practiced thrift to any
great extent. A story has been told
that on his seventh birthday, he was
given some coins to do with as he
pleased. He spent all his coins for
a whistle. When he got home his
mother said he paid too much for his
whistle. This gave a lasting impress
sion on him. Some of Franklin's
proverbs are:
A penny saved is a penny earned.
Practice thrift sense is cents.
One pence saved is two pence clear.
Through hard work, good sense,
and thrifty habits he was able to set
up business for himself at the age
of twenty-three.
We, Americans, have been called
and Justly, a nation Of spenders, a
group of people who have not been
trained to the habits Of savings. To
counteract this to some degree at
least, there has come into our educa-
tional system the teaching of thrift.
One of the most practical methods in
this form of training is the School
Savings Bank" One day each week
is set aside as "Bank Day" when each
child has the privilege of making a
deposit which is recorded in his pass
book. One of the rhymes used to
show how to save is:
Ten pencils to make dime,
And ten dimes make dollar,
Then let US save every one,
And the thrift plan, all follows.
During the world war young folks
saved their pennies and invested them
in thrift stamps to help win the war.
This practice besides helping win the
war, gave them some idea of money
valuation.
\" One of the most practical values Of
thrift lies in the fact that it gives to
the individual the sense Of correct
money valuation. Money is merely
the symbol of wealth, and its true
worth is to be measured only by the
power it contributes as a constructive
force in human welfare. To be thrift
ty means in the minds of many to be
greedy, avaricious and misery.
Thrift is the correct solution of
every problem of personal economic
ing. The five principles of personal
thrift are learning how to:
1. Keeping healthy.
2. Work efficiently.
3. Same time, energy, money and
materials.
d. Spend wisely.
5. Invest money intelligently.
Money spent for health is wisely
spent. Everyone needs wholesome
foods, a warm well kept house, neat
clothing, and a good education. Mon
ey should be spent, too, for the relief
of suffering and for good causes.
Successful business men, farmers
and housekeepers often make plans
for spending money, these are called
budgets. A budget shows what one
expects to receive and how one in
tends to use it. 1t will help you to
spend your money wisely, and to save
more, if you too form the habit Of
planning ahead.
The possession Of money gained
drought thrift, and rightful indus
try, gives the poise necessary to hum
an happiness and success, but the ac-
QUESTION of money merely for the
sake of possession, without thought
of the good and rightful uses to
which it can be applied, is not within
the meaning Of true thrift.
The word thrift whether applied to
plant life, individual human beings or
to nation, means a substantial and
vigorous growth. Thrift is a con-
dition implying to both growth and
progress. AS applied to the indivi-
dual, it is a habit that rises to digni-
ty of virtue, for it not only adds to
the material welfare of those persons
who practice it but it is contributary
to the development of a strong and
worthy character. Money savings is
not only the sum total of thrift. 1t
is only one of the stones in the build
ing of character. Thrift means much
more than the savings of money.
There is thrift of character, thrift of
time, thrift of health and moral
thrift. Money savings is only a func-
ton, it is thrift in it's most element
airy sense. In America there has been
for some time popular misconcep-
tion of thrift as applied to the in
dividual.
In schools, also, thrift has a wider
meaning than just in money savings.
Some principles of thrift to be en-
phasized in the curriculum are:
1. Industry and ideals in literature
and science.
2. Earnings, savings and invest
ment in Arithmetic.
8. Hygiene and sanitation in health
education.
4. Economy in constructive use of
material in shop work.
5. Economy of right use of foods
in cooking.
6. Economy of making and repair
ing in sewing.
The teaching of thrift, however,
does not solve the complex problem
of making living and too frequently