The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-02-03
TEACHERS PENSIONS.
EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEES REC
OMAIEND THE BILL.
arguments by Teachers Before the
Joint Committee-Facts and
Figures Cited.

The Senate and Assembly Committees
on Education held a joint session at
o'clock yesterday afternoon, Senator Hart,
presiding and all the members present.
The bill introduced by Senator Hart, to
retire teachers of public schools upon
partial pay, was first considered. A DEL
egation of San Francisco ladies, repre-
senting the Teachers Pension Associa-
ton, was present, among them Mrs.
Mary Prague of the Girls High School;
Mrs. J.. X. Burke, Principal of the Co.
lumbia School; Miss Mary DonnelIy,
Vice-Principal of the Hearst Grammar
School, and Agnes NJ. Manning, Princi-
pal of the Webster School
The bill provides for the retiring of
teachers after a service of twenty-five
years, upon proof OF incapacity, at sal
airy OF half the average amount earned
each month for the last five years prior to
their application for retirement. The ap-
plicant, if lady, must be over the age of
45, and a man SO years of age.
Agnes NJ. Manning presented a state
ment from fifty of the leading physicians
of San Francisco, testifying to the ener-
waiting, nerve and brain-wearing effect of
teaching in public schools.
Assemblyman Miller thought the bill
should provide some definite means of
proving incapacity.
Senator Carpenter offered an amend
ment, which was passed, by which all
claims.of pensioners shall be subject to
the inspection OF the State Board OF Ex-
aminers.
Upon motion of Senator Ford. an
amendment was adopted embracing Mr..
Miller's ideas as TO proof of incapacity of
applicants for pensions.
Mrs. Prague. on behalf of the Teachers
Pension Association, read carefully pre-
pared argument in favor Of the bill. She
was of the conviction that pensioning in
capacitated teachers would elevate the
profession and bring into the ranks of
teachers better and brighter talent. The
movement was not a new one. 1t was
being agitated throughout the Eastern
States. Something should be done TO di-
vert talent to the public schools. Under
the present system talented teachers were
being drawn to other professions. 1t
was now made a stepping-stone to other
YocatlonS in life. Statistics showed that
the average life of a teacher in the grand
work of educating the youth of the land
was only four years.
In Germany the pension system had
proven great success. 1t not only re-
lieved the schools from incapaciiated
teachers who are in decline and are
usually only retained because of past
services, but induced young and vigorous
minds to take their places.
Mrs. Prague read numerous extracts
from the writings of prominent edu-
Gators and educational journals favoring
the pension system. She called attention
to the fact that teachers were pensioned
in every State in Germany, Austria, Bo-
hernia, Hungary, Belgium, Holland,
Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal,
Sweden, Norway, England, Denmark,
Greece, Servia, Finland, Russia, Ontario,
Brazil and Argentine Republic.
Joseph O'Conner, Principal of the
Horace Mann school, San Francisco, de-
sired to present certain statistics to the
committee.
Senator Ford thought the committee
favorably impressed, and that it were
better to call for a vote. The bill was
duplicate of that introduced in the Legis-
lature of two years ago, which was re-
ported favorably by both the committee
of the Senate and the Assembly.
Senator Hart spoke enthusiastically in
favor of the bill. He thought every MEM
Der present thoroughly understood the
full purport of the bill and that further
argument in its favor was unnecessary.
He believed it a just and meritorious
measure, and urged the members to vote
unanimously in favor of it.
The bill upon vote was favorably
recommended without dissenting vote.