National Thrift Week is a public education campaign from January 17-23. It seeks to bring together educators and a broad coalition of citizen leaders who share an appreciation of thrift as the wise use of resources and a conviction that thrift is the friend of sustainable prosperity, broad economic opportunity, beautiful neighborhoods, and a healthy planet. 

Thrift Week 2014

To Save in Little Things:  A Document Display on view through February 28, 2014

From Ben Franklin’s birthday on January 17 through the next week, we celebrate Thrift Week with a document display about the history of the thrift movement of the early 20th century. What is thrift? The ethic and practice of wise use. Why at HSP? Because we have one of the largest historical collections about thrift. Come learn about the birth of the School Savings Bank movement, the ways in which thrift helped to win the world wars, and the many social and educational organizations that have shaped how we think about savings, spending, and giving.

Teaching Thrift: An Interdisciplinary Approach to a Historical American Ethic: A Teacher Workshop on January 23, 2014

Throughout U.S. history, Americans have practiced, celebrated, and taught the ethic of thrift: work hard, spend wisely, and give back. This workshop facilitated by Bernadette McHenry, the curriculum specialist for the Templeton Center for Thrift and Generosity, invites teachers to reimagine thrift education for the 21st century. Participants will be provided with resources and ideas for bringing thrift to life in their classrooms and will have a chance to view HSP's current document display "To Save in Little  Things:  An American History of Thrift." Act 48 credit is available, and refreshments will be served.