The Boy and the Bank Officer

Philip Ross

The Boy and the Bank OfficerPhilip Ross

Background:

bank / churches and churchgoersText:

word study / sentence understanding

Discussion:

questions on text / School Bully

Activities:

dramatization

Banks first emerged in the Middle Ages when people grew tired of carrying around all their gold and began leaving their money with the goldsmith. The Medici family, one of the most prominent banking families in Europe during this time, became quite wealthy from its banking and money lending practices. This 14th-century painting depicts people depositing and withdrawing money in an Italian bank.

Italian Banking in the 14th Century

Background: Banks

HISTORY OF BANKS

Functions performed by banks today have been carried out by individuals, families, or state officials for at least 4,000 years. Clay tablets dated from about 2000 BC indicate that the Babylonians deposited personal valuables for a service charge of one 60th of their worth. Interest charges on loans ran as high as one third.

The widespread commerce of Rome required a well-developed banking system. Roman authorities set aside the Street of Janus in the Forum for money changers. These individuals not only bought and sold foreign coins; they accepted deposits, made loans, issued bills of exchange and bills of credit (similar to today's checks), and bought mortgages.

Background:Banks

The Justinian Code of the 6th century AD included laws that governed the lending and trading in money. During the Middle Ages banking activities were curbed by severe restrictions on lending practices. But during the early Renaissance, as international trade revived, Italian money changers once again appeared. They did business in the streets from a bench (banca in Italian; hence the word bank). Florence, Italy, became a great banking center, dominated by the Medici family.

A 16th century painting depicts a money changer and his wife

Background:Banks

Banking as it is now practiced dates from the Banco di Rialto, founded in Venice in 1587. It accepted demand deposits and permitted depositors to transfer their credits by checks. It could not make loans, however, or pay interest on deposits. Its services were free since its expenses were paid by the city. The Banco Giro was formed in Venice in 1619. The two banks merged in 1637 and continued to operate under the name Banco Giro until Napoleon liquidated it in 1806.

Built in the style of ancient Greek temple, the Bank of United States had its headquarters in Philadelphia. It was the nation’s first experiment with central banking

Background:Banks

With the growth of commerce and trade in Northern Europe, the Netherlands became an international financial center. The Bank of Amsterdam was organized in 1609. A chartered public bank was opened in Sweden in 1656. It was probably the first financial institution in the world to issue standard-size payable-on-demand bank bills, which eliminated the handling of copper coins. This bank was merged with the Bank of Sweden in 1668.

Background:Banks

Until the founding of the Bank of England in 1694, England's goldsmiths were its first bankers. They kept money and other valuables in safe custody for their customers. They also dealt in gold bullion and foreign exchange. They profited from acquiring and sorting coins of all kinds. To attract coins, the smiths were willing to pay interest.

Depositors besiege the Merchant Bank of Passaic, N.J., after the bank was officially closed in 1929.

Background:Banks

The goldsmiths noticed that deposits remained at a fairly steady level over long periods of time. Deposits and withdrawals tended to balance each other because customers only wanted enough money on hand to meet everyday needs. This allowed the smiths to loan out at interest cash that would otherwise be idle. From this practice emerged the modern facets of banking: keeping deposits, making loans, and maintaining reserves. Another practice of the goldsmiths, by which a customer could arrange to transfer part of his balance to another party by written order, was the start of the modern check-writing system.

Background:Banks

Background: Banks Banks of the 17th century also began to issue bank notes as a form of money. The notes had monetary value because they could be exchanged for specie: hard cash in the form of gold or silver. The amounts of the bank notes issued depended on a banker's expectation of public demand for specie and the bank's confidence in itself. Bank notes were probably first issued in the 1660s by the Bank of Stockholm in Sweden; the practice soon spread to England.

The Bank of France was founded in 1800. For most of the 19th century the money markets of Europe were dominated by the House of Rothschild.

Background: BanksThis photograph depicts the original banking house opened by Mayer Amschel Rothschild in Frankfurt, Germany. The house was operated by Rothschild and his oldest son, Amschel Mayer, until its dissolution in 1901. The four other Rothschild sons opened bank branches in Vienna, Austria; Naples, Italy; London, England; and Paris, France. The London and Paris branches are still in operation.

Frankfurt House of Rothschild

Background: Churches and churchgoers

As for the British churchman, he goes to church as he goes to the bathroom, with the minimum of fuss and no explanation if he can help it.

---Ronald Blythe, British writer.

The British churchgoer prefers a severe preacher because he thinks a few home truths will do his neighbours no harm.

---Attributed to George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright.

Background: Churches and churchgoers

A man who is good enough to go to heaven, is good enough to be a clergyman.

---Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784)

British lexicographer and writer

I had explained that a woman's asking for equality in the church would be comparable to a black person's demanding equality in the Ku Klux Klan.

---Mary Daly (1928 - )

U.S. feminist and theologian.

Background: Churches and churchgoers

If people want a sense of purpose they should get it from their archbishop. They should certainly not get it from their politicians.

---Harold Macmillan British prime minister.

Nobody but poor folks get happy in church.

---Richard Wright,U.S. novelist.

Word Study: happen to do: occur by chance

She happened to be out when he called yesterday..

happen: ---refers to accidental or unplanned event

occur: ---refers to accidental or unplanned event;

(more formal than happen)

take place: suggests that an event is/was planned

Word Study:

in the first / second…place: ---firstly / secondly…

in my / your… place: ---in my situation

overlighted: --- having too much light

over-: ---above; outside; across

overcoat overhead overhang overall

--- to excess; too much

overtime overeat overburden

overcharge overweight overheated

Word Study:

-ish: 1). somewhat,near to

reddish greenish yellowish darkish

2). in the manner of

foolish childish boyish womanish snobbish

3). of a country

Irish Polish Finnish Spanish

fortyish: at about the age of forty

Word Study:mustache: hair on upper lip

beard: hair growing on man’s chin

goatee: short pointed beardauthority:

--- powers to give orders and make others obey eg. The leader must be a person of authority.--- person with special knowledgeeg. She is an authority on phonetics.--- (pl.) person or group having the power to give orders or take actions 掌权之人；当局eg. the authorities concerned 有关当局

Word Study:

more than: (colloq.) ---very; extremely; beyond

They were more than willing to help.

more… than…:

The child was more frightened than hurt.

He always seemed old to me, more like a

grandfather than a father.

Word Study:no more than: ---only; just

It cost me no more than $5 to buy the book.

---the same as

He’s no more able to read Spanish than I am.

Word Study:

think twice about / doing sth: ---think carefully before

deciding to do sth

You should think twice about employing someone you’ve never met.

Once bitten, twice shy. ---(saying) after an unpleasant experience one is careful to avoid sth similar

Lightning never strike in the same place twice. ---(saying) an unusual event, or one that happens by

chance, is not likely to occur again in the exactly the same circumstances or to the same people.

Word Study:

as to + whether : concerning / about / regarding who when … I can’t decide as to when we should start. It’s still unclear as to whom this car belongs to.

no… but to…: He had no choice but to sell the house. (do / did/ does) + no… but do: I did nothing but follow the rules.

Word Study:but: one cannot / couldn’t but do sth: --- (formal) have toI couldn’t but admit that he was right.(negative word) + but + clause: ---without the result that No man is so old but he may learn. ( No man is too old to learn.)

but for sb / sth: --- without sb / sthBut for the rain, we would have had a nice holiday.

Word Study:

move in sth: --- live, be active, pass one’s time, etc. in a particular social group She always moves in the best circles.

move in for sth: --- become active in doing sth I moved in for the kill.

move in on sb / sth: ---approach sb / sth, esp. in a threatening way The police moved in on the terrorists.

Word Study:

zero in on sb / sth: ---aim guns, etc. at or find the range of ( a particular target) --- fix attention on sb / sth; focus on sb / sth(sl) We should zero in on the key issues for discussion.damn: adv. very damn good / clever / well