Page:The Philadelphia Negro A Social Study.djvu/511

Rh

Method of Saving. Per Cent of Men Who Save. Per Cent of Women Who Save.

Saving in bank only 28.3 9.7

in society only 20. 7 30.2

in bank and in society 18.6 15.9

in society and owns property 3.5 1.2

at home 6.2 15.9

at home and society 1.4 4.2

in building association 2.1 .7

in bank and owns property 1.0

in bank and society and owns property or has built a home 4.2 1.2

Not saving this year 4.4

at all 15.0 15.6

In contrast with this 15 per cent which saves nothing, may be mentioned a few cases which seem particularly note worthy as examples of unusual thrift:

1. The case of a young chore-man twenty years old, who said, "No, he wasn't saving any thing to speak of." And it would have passed at that, had not his employer said, "Why, Henry, you know you bring me $2.00 every month to save for you." And it came out that from the $14.00 he earned monthly he was regularly sending $5.00 each month to his aged mother and saving $2.00. The month before his report was taken he had sent $10.00 to his mother because she had had a destructive fire at home and needed new articles.

2. The case of a man cook thirty-one years old, who has been in his present situation over seven years, and earns $8.00 weekly. From this amount he has supported his family and built a home which he now owns. He also has a good bank account which, he says, his wife doesn't know about. He's "going to surprise her with it when he gets a good bit; or, if he dies she will have something to keep her." This man also has membership in two benefit societies.