Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1919 — THRIFT SCHOOL PLAN OUTLINED BY EXPERT [ARTICLE]

THRIFT SCHOOL PLAN OUTLINED BY EXPERT

Dr. Shailer Mathews Explains Scope and Purpose of Great U. S. Educational Movement for Saving.

By DR. SHAILER MATHEWS.

[Chairman of W. S. S. Educational Committee for Seventh Diatrlct and Vice Director for Illinois.] Thrift will be taught in the schools of the states constituting the Seventh federal reserve district. The children of lowa will help prepare the Little Lessons In Thrift which are being written by Prof. Macy Campbell of the lowa State Teachers’ college, under the general direction of an educational committee of the district. Besides the chairman the educational committee consists of W. E. Larson, department of public instruction, Wisconsin; J. V. McNally, Detroit public schools, Michigan, and Macy Campbell, lowa State Teachers’ college. The Little Lessons in Thrift appear fortnightly on printed sheets. The lessons are prepared for the 'different grades in the schools. They are illustrated and interesting. They teach savings as a phase of good citizenship, give problems of arithmetic in terms of thrift stamps, chewing gum, candy and other things a child buys. It Is a new field which Is thus being opened up and the war savings organization is rendering a great service to the rising generation. Nor is It all mere theory. The teaching of the principles of thrift is combined with a sort of manual training In thrift, through the sale of War Savings Stamps in schools. Along with these Little Lessons in Thrift the educational committee furnishes the schools with pupils’ thrift cards, on which the teacher keeps an account of the amount, however small, which the pupil brings to her for the purpose of buying stamps. This practice Itself becomes educational, because the pupil gets introduced to simple bookkeeping and banking. These plans have received the heartiest co-operation of the school administration In the various states and cities. The parochial and private schools also are co-operating in the use of the material and plans prepared by the committee. The young men and women of the next generation will have a higher respect for thrift and a better understanding as to how to spend their money, for they will learn even In the primary grades that thrift Is not miserliness but a way of spending money so as to make It for them.

War souvenirs in the shape of watches made of steel of Belgian cannon which were in active service on the Belgian front from the beginning of the war In 1914 till October 29, 1917, are being manufactured in Switzerland by order of tfye king and queen of the Belgians. The watche.s which bear inset in gold on the cases the monogram "A. E.” of the Belgian sovereigns, are to be preseted by King Albert Sind Queen Elizabeth to soldiers who have specially distinguished themselves and also to prize winners of military competition.