The teaching of thrift; a manual of plans and teaching outlines arranged by grades

Front matter

The Teaching of Thrift

Lesson Outlines and Suggestions for Classroom Use

ISSUED BY

Prefatory Note

In section 7645 of the General Code it was provided that "the subject of thrift shall be taught for at least thirty minutes each week in each grade of the elementary and high schools of the state." The Superintendent of Public Instruction is required by this same section to prepare an outline for a course of study in thrift. This outline, which is presented herewith, has suffered many vicissitudes and has been greatly delayed in the issuance. Originally prepared in the fall of 1920, permission to print it was not granted until a year later. A few days before the first proof was received from the printer announcement was made by the United States Treasury of a change in its savings program, and numerous references to thrift and savings stamps had to be eliminated. Inability to secure paper also intervened at this time, so that it was finally necessary to abandon hope of using the manual during the school year of 1921-22.

This outline consists principally of lesson plans prepared especially for this publication. Many of these plans are worked out very thoroughly and in detail ; others are more broadly suggestive. However, there is no thought that this manual shall present a comprehensive summary of all the possibilities of thrift teacliing. 'it Will' be ^directly helpful to a reasonable extent but much of its value lies in the suggestion and inspiration it will give to classroom teachers' to work out their; own ideas. There is manifested no desire to present thrift as a new and separate subject to be added to the curriculum ; the plans prepared have utilized every opportunity to make thrift a part of the work in other subjects or closely correlated therewith. This will doubtless meet with much favor. The grading is not closely done, so teachers will possibly find occasion to make readjustments now and then.

High school lessons are not definitely outlined because of the different type of teaching organization in secondary schools. Some matter may be culled from the grammar grades material that is adaptable for high school use. It will be necessary for high school teachers to keep in mind their responsibility to give thrift some attention and to convey the required instruction through the medium of lessons in other subjects which lend themselves to the development of ideas and ideals of thrift and conservation.

The Editor.

Introduction

Under the provisions of a law placed upon the Ohio statute books some time ago, instruct ion is to be given in thrift in all grades in our public school system, both elementary and high, to the extent of at least thirty minutes each week. As an aid to the individual teacher, upon whose efforts the success of this thrift teaching depends, we have undertaken in this manual to present a number of suggestions and lesson outlines which it is hoped may prove serviceable.

It is trite to comment upon America's wastefulness as contrasted with the frugality of the European countries, but it is really a serious question how many more generations we can continue this prodigality. Thrift is a habit; thrift is also an attitude of mind and an ideal. Practice and precept may combine to advantage in instructional method in the subject.

Thrift is often defined briefly as saving, but it is broader than saving. Thrift is saving "by using wisely and saving to use wisely. Thrift is not parsimony, not miserliness. Thrift is not an end but a means to an end ; it connotes the ability to dispense with an immediate pleasure for the sake of future benefits. Thrift should be interpreted broadly as the conservation of time, material and money, and it is so regarded in this outlined course.

Practice of thrift is not associated with any particular money-saving agency or institution. Thrift and war savings were linked in the popular mind so long that there is a vague, confused idea in many minds that savings ended with the war and that to drag in thrift now is effrontery. The appeal to save on patriotic grounds has left in many a resentment at continued propaganda for sale of government securities, because of a feeling that a crisis no longer exists. This merely demonstrates that the foundations have not been laid deep enough. A great deal of our war thrift and saving- was a forced growth, a hothouse product ; we must plant the seedling that will produce the oak, permanent and abiding, not the ephemeral and transitory blossom.

There was undoubtedly greater saving in the sense of bond and savings stamp purchases and in enforced abstinence from certain foodstuffs during the war than there has been since. Bulked into totals, there was far greater national thrift in that crucial period than ever before or since. But a greater need for thrift exists now than then — need for the thrift that is basic and fundamental, that is more than an investment of money in securities. In the boom times that characterized the latter war period there was much saving that was superficial, that was carried on alongside of free spending by the self-same individual because money was flowing readily in those days. But the time is now at hand when thrift and saving spring from necessity and not from patriotic magnanimity.

The teacher will need to remember, however, that talk of thrift will be received with much less grace by many' parents now than formerly. We are tolerant of thrift when thrift doesn't hurt; but when we are hard put to it to make ends meet we are resentful at such talk. "As if we aren't pinching and scraping at every turn!" we cry in indignation.

There is no doubt of this sort of prejudice in many homes, but it is ill-advised. There is a great amount of unwise saving, blundering thrift, blind frugality, when straitened circumstances befall the average American home. Thrift — real thrift — is nothing if not enlightened. To know the cheap, nourishing foods and to use them is a discriminating thrift that is not common ; to sift the ashes for reburning is still less common. Thrift may strike an unwelcome chord at times, under present conditions, but in that very fact lies an impelling reason for establishing a real groundwork of practice and ideals in our rising generation.

Teachers will agree that if their teaching of thrift is to be successful it must function in habit. Thrift must be practical. Your concern is not to equip pupils with a code of action for their use when school days are over, but to give them an opportunity to put these principles into practice while they are still in school. If there is one suggestion that is worth more than all others to the teacher of thrift, aside from the above, it is this : Treat the subject in such a manner as to lead pupils to feel and be gripped by the interesting and happy side of saving, making clear the difference in practice between real thrift and stinginess. This will particularly apply to the children in the lower grades where the foundations are being laid.

There are many ways in which you can provide for thrift to become a functioning, practical affair. The simplest way, perhaps, or at least the way that is most frequently planned, is the saving of money, and as long as money stands as the basic medium of exchange, saving of money will continue to be the fundamental form of thrift.

School savings have developed rapidly in recent years and many schools are providing this practical outlet for thrift impulses. The State Department sees fit to urge the stimulation of all forms of pupil savings whether carried on in the school room by the teacher or through the pupils' direct dealings with banks. Any legitimate savings system, now used in or offered to schools, is desirable in so far as it effectively ministers to this need of the pupils to practice actual saving. The State Department is quite naturally interested in the plan of the Treasury Department of the United States. The plan of the Treasury Department is to do two things: (i) Stimulate and foster thrift and (2) secure the use of savings as a loan to the government ; every one should clearly understand that Uncle Sam is still needing to borrow money and finds the government savings method a very helpful way.

THRIFT QUOTATIONS

Large enterprises make the few rich, but the majority prosper only through the carefulness and detail of thrift. He is already povertystricken whose habits are not thrifty. — T. T. Munger.

Time is the sand of life And when we waste a grain And wish to get it back We can but wish in vain.

Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours each set with sixty diamond minutes — no reward is offered for they are gone forever.

Economy is the parent of integrity, of liberty, and of ease, and the beauteous sister of temperance, of cheerfulness and health; and profuseness is a cruel and crafty demon, that gradually involves her followers in dependence and debts, and so fetters them with irons that enter into their inmost souls. — Hawkesworth.

A penny saved is a penny earned. — Franklin.

It is not what we earn that counts in the end; it is what we save.

The habit of saving is itself an education ; it fosters every virtue, teaches self-denial, cultivates the sense of order, trains to forethought, and so broadens the mind. — T. T. Hunger,

Economy is half the battle of life ; it is not so hard to earn money, as to spend it well. — Spurgeon.

Ere you consult fancy, consult your purse. — Franklin.

A stitch in time saves nine. — Franklin.

Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee. — Franklin.

Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves. — Franklin.

A man may, if he knows not how to sa,ve as he gets, keep his nose all his life to the grindstone and die not worth a groat after all. — Franklin:

Let honesty and industry be thy constant companions, and spend one penny less than thy clear gains ; then shall thy pocket begin to thrive ; creditors will not insult, nor want oppress, nor hunger bite, nor nakedness freeze thee. — Franklin.

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There are but two ways of paying a debt; increase of industry in raising income, or increase of thrift in laying out. — Carlyle.

The world abhors closeness, and all but admires extravagance ; yet a slack hand shows weakness, and a tight hand strength. — Buxton.

If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's stone. — Franklin.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING THRIFT

A — Phases of Thrift

i . Save money — spend less than you earn. Keep a budget.

2. Save time by working in a systematic way. Have a daily schedule.

3 . Keep physically fit by discarding worry and other wrong mental conditions. Talk health — make it popular.

4. Wise expenditure of money.

5. Avoid waste.

6. Efficiency in the work you are doing.

B — Thrift Lessons (correlated with other studies).

1 . Nature study.

a — Conservation of bird and animal life.

b — Conservation of natural resources — forests, soil.

c — Encourage gardening on part of children.

2 . Geography.

a — Study ways of thrifty peoples — intensive farming and prevention of waste.

3 . Language.

a — Topics for oral and written composition: What I Have Done to Earn Money.

A Good Plan for Saving Money.

Ways in Which I Could Avoid Waste.

Raising Chickens, Hogs, Etc.

What I Would Do With One Hundred Dollars.

What Can Be Classed as Necessities?

b — Subjects for debates:

Resolved, That girls arc greater spendthrifts than boys. Resolved, That a farmer should be allowed to own no

more land than he can cultivate.

Resolved, That a High School education pays.

4. History and Civics.

a — The nation's thrift depends upon honest, unselfish, welltrained public officials. Study men of this type.

b — The patriotic citizen — he who is thrifty, who' pays his debts, and taxes, and who obeys laws. Crime costs the state much.

5 . Arithmetic.

a - — Problems showing how money makes money, and those dealing with profit and loss. These problems should be taken from life experiences.

6. Rural Life.

a — Convenient farm homes.

b — Care of farm machinery.

c — Convenient place for tools.

d — Spraying trees, cutting weeds, etc.

e — Scientific farming.

7. Thrift as concerns the teacher and pupils immediately :

a — Teacher should save time by planning lessons, establishing system to care for daily routine, making clear assignments, requiring concentration of the children, and application to school work. Avoid the formation of habits that fritter away time.

b — Save materials — paper, pencils, books and handwork supplies. Cultivate careful use of their own and of school property.

CARE OF SCHOOL EQUIPMENT

Socializing Thrift Through Applying it to Material Not Owned by the Individual Exclusively

We enjoy seeing homes clean; we like polished, well-cared-for furniture. None of us would think of writing upon the chairs or tables at home, nor of marring them in any way. We are proud of our homes and want other people to like them too.

We are in the school room as long every day as we are at home. Do you not feel better in a clean school room, where the desks are neat and shining, than in one which has a floor full of paper and broken, scratched desks? If these desks are ruined whose fault is it? If there is paper on the floor who has been here to put it there? If our maps, pictures, or our playground equipment are mistreated, whom should we blame? Let us take some time to think about who buys this equipment for us, how many people own it and how we should care for it.

Lessons: Care, Management and Use of School Equipment, i . Thrift in buying equipment.

a. Quality — Better may be more expensive. Is more durable.

b. Quantity — To buy in quantities often saves money.

2. Kinds of Equipment.

Schoolroom.

a. Seats and desks, maps, globes, pictures, etc.

1 . Furnished by the boards, or community, for the use of many different children. Individual has no right to destroy property of others.

b. Books, writing pads, pens, pencils, etc.

i . Furnished by individual for his own use. . The same pride we have in caring for our homes should lead us to keep our own property in good condition. If each child's material is clean, neat, and adequate, the general condition of the room will influence us for better work.

c. Material which makes the schoolroom a pleasant place to work — pictures, curtains, flowers, etc.

i . Furnished by school boards, individuals, clubs, parentteachers associations, or by members of class for the whole room.

2. As property of each child, they should be used carefully so that we may get as much enjoyment as possible from them.

3 . The Playground Equipment — Swings, slides, see-saws, tennis nets, basket balls, base balls, tennis balls, etc.

i . Furnished by whom ?

2. Used by whom?

3. Where should they be kept when not in use? Who should be responsible for their care?

4. Outside Work Equipment — School garden tools, rollers for tennis courts, etc.

1 . Furnished by whom ? For whom ?

2 . Proper use of — and care for them.

5. General Appearance of School — room and grounds.

1. The same civic pride which makes us landscape garden the lawns of our homes, which makes us keep them well trimmed and clean, and planted with pretty flowers, makes us want to keep our school yard the same way. The school yard belongs

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to us. If it is strewn with paper, we are blamed. — If it is kept in good condition, we are commended. We all prefer praise. 2. Same thought applied to condition of desks and schoolroom in general.

If we will each one remember that all of the equipment is partly our property, that we are responsible for the proper use and care of it, — we will work better and enjoy being in school much more. This lesson may be used in organizing a "Clean Up Club" or in connection with community civics work.

FIRST AND SECOND GRADES

THE CANDY KID'S DREAM

Once upon a time there was a little boy whom his Uncle Bob called the Candy Kid. Now why do you suppose Uncle Bob called his nephew such a very funny name?

The Candy Kid ate so much candy — that's why ! — long hard stick candy and all day suckers and every other kind of candy that he could buy with his pennies. -

One night the Candy Kid, whose really, truly name was William Henry, went to sleep and he had the funniest dream. He saw himself, a very poor little boy, ragged and cold and without a cent of money, but very happy because he found himself in a wonderful candy-land. ''Now for once," thought William Henry to himself, "I'll have all the candy I want." He walked out of the candy house and down the candy walk to a gum drop tree growing in the yard. He ate and ate from the gum drop tree until he spied a chocolate-bar bush. Then he ate and ate on the chocolate bars until after awhile he became very thirsty and went to the pump to get a drink. The handle was sticky for it was candy and when William Henry pumped, all he could get to drink was maple syrup. "Oh dear," said the Candy Kid, "Maple Syrup used to taste very good but I would like a change. If only I could get something sour to take that sickish taste out of my mouth, I'd be all right. Oh ! There is a tomato vine. A nice fresh, juicy tomato will taste just right after all that sweet stuff." But when he came to the vine the fruits were beautiful, red, hard candies. "Even a glass of milk would taste good now," said the disgusted boy and ran back to the house and into the pantry where rows of milk pans were sitting on the shelves. But when William Henry put in the dipper, he found the stuff in the pans not milk at all but thick, white cake frosting. "Oh dear ! Oh dear ! What ever will I do if I can't get out of this place. I'll go crazy with nothing but sweets to eat all day long. If only I had some pennies maybe I could buy my way out." For you see William Henry was a prisoner in the Candy Land and could not get out. And he had no pennies, because he always spent them for candy so he could not pay the guards to let him out.

So he decided to lie down and try and think of some other way of escape. He soon fell asleep and when he awoke he was all sticky because his warm face had melted the candy pillow. Now the little boy felt most uncomfortable and miserable, all candy inside and all candy outside and nothing else in sight. So he sat down on the doorstep and started to cry and pretty soon his salty tears melted a hole right through the candy door step and after a while a little man came through the hole in the doorstep. William Henry was surprised to see such a neat little feli6

low in such a sticky place and asked him where he got such a bright,, shiny face. "Why," said the little man, "I came from the Land of Savings Banks. Every one of us there are bright and clean because we always save our pennies and do not spend them on sticky candy." "Oh," begged William Henry, "I wish you'd take me back with you to that wonderful land. Do you have real drinking water there, and good sour tomatoes and beds that aren't sticky?" ''Yes," answered the little man. "We have all those things and more ; we have wealth, health and happiness but I cannot take you back to that nice clean land of mine unless you will promise one thing." "Oh I'll promise anything," exclaimed the boy, too happy to care what he had to promise. "If I take you back with me you must never spend your pennies again for candy but always put them away in a savings bank."

Just then William Henry awoke and ran to tell his Mother his strange dream. He was so glad to have made his escape from that awful, sticky land of sweets that he asked his Mother to get him a savings bank so that he might start saving his pennies.

Now William Henry is a big boy, ten years old, and his Uncle Bob calls him "Man" because he has a bank account just like his Uncle Bob's.

(If desired the name. William Henry, may be changed to that of someone in the class.)

THE LITTLE PIG BANK

There was once a little blue eyed girl whose name was Miriam. She lived with her father and mother in a fine old house, near a forest of big oak trees where a little brook ran away and away to find the big river.

Miriam enjoyed all of these things and, because she was so cheerful and happy, all the little boys and girls liked to see her and play with her.

Sometimes they wondered why she could be so well and happy at all times but old Brindle cow knew for she had loved little Miriam since she was a tiny baby and -every day gave her a brimming cup of milk to drink.

But old Brindle wasn't the only one that loved her. The little leghorn hen loved her, too, for almost every day she found a little white tgg in the box in the corner of the woodshed. Sometimes Miriam ate it for her breakfast and sometimes her mother made it into a little custard pie.

One day when she was having a little birthday party, all of her own, her father came home with a little package. He gave it to her and what do you think that it was? A little pig bank, just like this one. She was so happy to have that little fat pig but when she took it she thought it strange that it had such a funny little opening in its back.

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Then her father told her that the little pig bank had come to be her friend and that he had promised long ago to take good care of all the pennies for little boys and girls. Then he took ten new shining pennies from his big pocketbook and Miriam dropped them one by one in through that funny place in the pig's back.

Well this little pig took such good care of those pennies that Miriam was glad to give him every one that she could spare, until one day he got so full that he couldn't hold any more.

Then the good father took Miriam and this stuffed pig to a big bank in the city. The pennies were given to the kind man who kept the bank and he locked them up in the great iron safe.

Little Miriam likes to tell little boys and girls how nice it is to think about her little pennies lying side by side with her father's big dollars in the big bank and she never forgets to tell them that her little pig friend is still true!

Now how would you like to have a pig bank or some sort of a little bank and begin saving your pennies, too?

(Questions to follow the story.)

Do you know what this is? (A penny.)

Do you know this? (A nickel.)

Do you know how many pennies make a nickel?

Do you know this? (A dime.)

Do you know this big shining piece of money? (A dollar.)

Do you know how many pennies make a dollar?

Well, have you any pennies?

And what do you do with your pennies ? Have you a bank ?

What kind ? Would you like to have a nice little bank like this one ?

What would you do with your bank, if you had one?

Plan for the First and Second Grades

Get the meaning of Thrift from pupils by means of questions such as

When a squirrel gathers nuts what does he do with them?

When you put a penny in the bank what are you doing?

Is it right to save?

What things can we save?

Food, clothing, health, time, etc.

Have you ever saved anything such as : time to play ? Why ?

Summarize points by means of the following jingle :

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There are some things we want to do, So we can make our Thrift ring true; To do our tasks as soon as told, To guard our Health as Health rules hold, Eat slowly ; breathe deeply, and exercise take, These things our Thrift to make.

Plan for the Second Day

Show by means of dramatization the part Thrift plays in life.

Scene: A sitting room.

Two children enter and beg pennies.

Hurriedly leave and buy balloons.

They come back and play and tease father.

Scene: In another home.

A number of children enter and go about their own play thinking of fairies and toys and dolls. (The fairies may be brought in dancing co represent children's thoughts.)

A Bank enters asking for help so the children give the pennies' they have saved instead of buying toys, etc.

Bank is filled and children are joyously playing about, for the Bank has told them what the pennies will do. (If desired, a number of things such as : make dollars, help charity, etc., may be told by Bank upon entering.

While the first two children play their balloons burst and they are unhappy because they have lost the hours they had planned to spend with balloons.

First group of children run and play with second group and while there they learn to play without many toys and also get the habit of helping the Bank swell its funds.

Once upon a time a little boy named James had some older brothers who were working and saving their money by putting it into the bank. Every Saturday they took their money to this big building and sometimes they let James go with them.

James was so little that he could barely reach up to the little grated window behind which the man stood who took the money, and he just kept wishing and wishing that he would grow very very fast so that he could put money in the bank too and have it witten down in a book just as his big brothers did.

Once he told his mother all about it and she told him that he did not have to wait to be big but could begin right away and have a little bank account all his own.

James was so happy he just jumped up and down, and then he rushed off as fast as he could to mow the lawn for Mrs. Black, the lame woman who lived on the next street.

All summer he worked at whatever he could find to do. Sometimes it was running errands for the neighbors or delivering for the grocers and other times it was harder work such as carrying traveling bags and suit cases for people who were on their way to the train.

His mother had always taught him to be polite and respectful to older people and as he wanted to be a good boy and be helpful in every way he could, he did not like to take money for the things he did for them. But one day while he was down town he saw an old lady who was carrying a number of packages and an umbrella. He went up to her and asked if he might help her. She was very glad to have the help and although James did not want to take it she gave him a bright shining new quarter.

Now what do you think James did with his quarter ? No, indeed, he did not spend it, but took it right home to put with the money that he was going to put in the bank.

And what do you think? The banker was so glad to have James's money that he told him that every time he would bring him some money and left it awhile he would add some to it and so James' bank account keeps growing all the time,, just as James does. And by the time James is tall enough to reach the little grated window he will have many dollars written down in his book.

How many liked this story? How many of you have been to the bank? Have you seen the little window? How many have toy banks att home?

Note : — r From this point on various methods may be used. A school savings fund may be started or children may be encouraged to use other avenues of saving.

The Winters National Bank of Dayton, Ohio, uses as an advertisement a blotter which illustrates this story splendidly.

THRIFT LESSON PLANS FOR GRADES ONE AND TWO Based Upon Boy Blue

Lesson i.

Teacher's Aim: Thrift in time.