The morning call., 1891-02-03
A PENSION FUND.
Teachers Wish the Legislature to
Provide for One.
Superintendent SWEET Selected to Take the Bill
to Sacramento as the Representative
of the Educators.

The public school teachers of San Fran
cisco met en- masse yesterday afternoon in
Lincoln Hall. Principals and class teachers
from nearly every primary, every grammar
and every high school in the city were pres
ent and filed all the seats.
Miss Jessie Smith, President of the Teach
ers' Mutual Aid Association. called the edu-
Gators to order. Elisha Brooks, principal of
the Franklin Grammar School, was chosen
Chairman, and Miss Nellie Owens, an assist
ant IN the Girls High School, Secretary.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL.
President Brooks, on taking the chair.
stated the purpose OF the gathering to be the
consideration of such action as should be
necessary relative TO the enactment of a pen
sion law in the interest Of the teachers of
the public schools of California. He then
read bill drafted by committee previ-
ously appointed. Ii provides that the Gov
ernOr, the Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton and the Controller of State shall const-
tute Board of Trustees OF the Public
School Relief and Pension Fund of the State
OF California, to be known as the Public
School Pension Fund Commissioners, with
the Governor as President and the State
treasurer as Treasurer eX-ofliciO. When
ever teacher has served twenty-five years
or longer in the public schools of the State
he or she may retire and receive yearly
pension during life equivalent to half his or
her salary. The reti rement shall be optional
with the teacher Ii, after twenty years
service, teacher becomes incapacitated he
or she may be retired on a life pens ion
equal to one-thrd of his or her salary. If
a teacher be convicted OF felony I've or she
shall be Ineligible to any benefit from the
pension fund.
THE TEACHERS MUST AGREE.
Principal Joseph O'Cmnor of thel Vaen-
ella Grammar School said that he believed
that j. w. Anderson, the State Superiu-
tendent of Public Instruction, was averse
to the contemplated pension legislation but
it had been approved by the teachers of San
joaquin County. There also existed some
difference Of opinion as to the details of
the proposed bill If the teachers of the
State would come to some agreement their
wishes would surely be listened to by the
Legislature.
the Chairman, THAT Superintendent Ander-
son will support any measure Endorsed by
the teachers"
Mrs. Prag of the Girls High School
stated that John Swett Superintendent of
the San Francisco Schools, WAS in full SYM
pathy with the pension measure, and would
have been present had he not been detained
by a session of the Classification Committee
of the Board of Education. The announce
ment of Mr. SWEETS sympathy was greeted
with applause and he was, on motion, unan-
imOusly elected to go with the bill to Sacra-
uGlltO dS Lie representative OIL Tile Guy
teachers.
AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
1t was decided to create an Executive
Committee, consisting of five residents of
San francisco, five of the northern aud five
OF the southern section of the State. The
Chairman appointed john SWEET, Joseph
O'COunor, Miss Nellie Owens and Mrs
Prag of San Francisco. On motion the
name of the Chairman, Elisha Brooks. was
added. Fred N. Campbell of Oakland, Pro-
fesSOr ChildS of San Jose, Professor More
of Los Angeles, G. Il. Webster of SOlano,-
Z. b. Wakefield of Ell Dorado and Miss
WEIGH of Shasta were also selected, the re-
naming four to be announced at later
date.
Mr.. Campbell said that the time for the
introduction OF bills into the present Legis-
lature would soon pass, and urged the ne
cessity of Immediate action. The equity of
a pension law, he said, need not be argued,
Tor 1t was too clear to admit OF any dispute.
Deputy Superintendent Madison Bah
cock, Elisha Brooks, Mrs. Prag, Joseph
O'Connor aud Miss Agnes NJ. Manning were
selected as Finance Committee, and the
teachers levied an assessment of 80 cents
each upon themselves, the amount to be
collected by principals from teachers and
used by the committee as a campaign fund.
GRADED PENSIONS.
Mrs. n. r. Craven, principal of the Mis-
Sion Grammar School, then moved that the
Executive Committee be instructed TO
amend the bill read by the Chairman so as
to make $50 the uniform pension of all
teachers, irrespective of salaries. There
was, she said, Il great difference in the sal
aries OF teachers, who received all the way
srom $50 tn $3.50 month; but she could not
see why there should be any corresponding
discrimination in their pensions.
MI. O'COnnOr replied that If, after twenty
I'VE years service. teachers were not draw
ing comparatively high salaries it must be
their own fault.
Ills words were received with signs of
strong dlsapproyal by nearly all the ladies
present. but nevertheless Mrs. Craven's
motion was defeated.
A motion by OConnor fixing the maxi
mum pension at $50 month then nrn-
vailed and was succeeded by an adjourn
melt