Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-15
PENsIoNINa pEDAGoGUEs.
An Fl Dorado Teacher Who Does Not
Believe in It.

EeneNe IN
A bright lady school-teacher in E. Dora
do county sends the following:
Recently an effort was made in a County
Institute to pass resolution asking tue
Legislature to provide q tensiOn for worn
out school-teachers | am happy to say
the resolution was lost.
Our able collabJralors compare the
teacher with he Grand Army of the Re-
public, or put Us. our wish us put, On a
par with them. They say teachers have
broken their health in years of devotion to
their country, in intoxicating the spirit of
patriotisgn and love for the perpetuity of the
principles of republican institutions in
gem raj, and the American nation in par
ticular. Education is the cornerstone of
our Government" That all sounds well,
but dou't believe it is argument enough to
bring pension to pedagogues even grant
log it to be true.
But let us see how we compare with SOL
diers. When we choose our vocation, how
many of us choose teaching, because we
think it duty's call? How many because
msrtyrGom needs another advocate? How
many because We are anxious the cradle
of liberty" be well rocked. How many
because we think the foundation of our
Government will be improved by our
masonry? l answer, not one. On the
other hand, the young woman Tor MANI
ready to choose her or his calling looks all
around and compares She sees the State
will instruct her under q certain course of
study-and should she finish said course
that the State will give her diploma"
and presto she can command from $50
to $500 per month. There you have the
minimum and maximum in teachers
wages. The teacher can never draw more
than that. In all other vacations or pro-
fessious there is chance to increase ones
income. Look at the lawyer, the doctor,
the farmer. After they get a start" they
begin to double up" profits. But If is
true the teacher has nothing great 10 expect
from any one months work, nor yet from
any wears. Rut the teacher knows that
before she begins.
He or she chooses teaching for reasons
which satisfy him or herself, be they one
thing or another. He may look at it in
this light: First-Teaching is sure of so
much Secoud-Teachers are a highly re-
spected crowd. Third have more time
to devote to selfimprovement. Fourth
The work is very ennobling. Fif,h-Its
about the best thing can do just now, any
wsy.
Now, because they never can strike a
bonanza" ought the State to pension them?
a thousand times, No.
Teachers get so much in clear coin or
cash every month or every year, and
we ought to live within our means, we
ought 10 be self-reliant and self-respecting.
We, who are going to rock the cradle of
liberty" we ought to have the moral cour-
age TO say to fashion, to Injuries, 1--WE live
within our means" we who are mssons in
the COMMISSIONED of our Government" And
fyyo 6oSi IN tho1 o.t
part Of life's voyage, invest in something
besides caramels and crab salad.
There's something SO repulsive about be-
ing pensiOner. It's pity caused from
heiplessness. Are we, as teachers, going to
follow profession twenty or forty years to
find out whether it be self sustaining
Certainly not. Are we, as Americans,
in this day of calm going to choose pro-
fession which calls for continual self-sacri-
fee and deprivation l think not Pen
sion us and you take away the idea of self
help, Of practical human beings, and we at
once become shadowy, theoretical deni-
zens, instead of practical, rounded, self-sus-
tanning Americans, able to instruct "young
America" by example, as well as by pre-
cept. Pension Us and you belittle us.
1t we are such important organs in the
mechanism of the government of this
great liberty loving institution, we ought
to demand pay worthy Of our labor. Ii we
do, and get it, we have DO right to cry out
charity when we are retired from active
service on account of age or decrepitude,
for these defects come, no matter what
ranks we are in.
The teacher has passed the bookworm
period; let her keep wide awake-be a
practical, live being; let her be what she
wishes her pupils to become-a rounded,
complete woman, full of selt-reliance to
cope with all the vicissitudes of life.
We can't eat our loaf and keep it, and
we are pretty full of ego when we can see
the halo OF martyrdom round our brow
and demand subsidy-or allow others to
do it for us-for dong what we chose to
do, what we asked to do, what the State
was willing to educate US to DO, what we
were paid TO do.
All honor to the grand work of teaching
and TO the workers in the field But if
there are business failures among us. for
heavens sake call meeting of the brothers
and sisters o. the cause and supply their
wants or let them do IS other financial
failures do, but as free, practical, self.re-
liant. independent circle deuounce the SUBJ
sidy side of the question. My fervent de-
sire is and shall be this: May practical,
self-respecting pedagogues suffering from
pension fever speedily convalesce. and their
recovery be permanent.
HoPE New HOPE.