New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-28
PENSIONS FOR TEACHERS.
DISCUSSING A BILL IN THEIR FAVOR.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION oP-
POSE TIE PLAN.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION oP-
POSE THE PLAN.
The members of the Special Committee on Legsla-
ton OF the Board Of Education held meeting yester'
day afternoon confer with representatives OF tile
Teachers Mutual Benefit Association on the bill re-
lating to the pensionng Of teachers in the public
schools Of this city, now before the Legislature. as
the bill Is OF unusual interest," and proposes 10
appropriate public money, all the members OF the
Board OF Education invited to be present The
members OF the committee representing the Teachers
Mutual Benefit Association, which favOrs the BILL were
Dubois 5. Frsbee, Abner Is. Iioley, Samuel Mac
Crosby and Henry =. O'Ne Mr.. O'Neil, chairman
OF the committee, I'm addressing the board said 1.-The
idea OF this bill Is to raise pension fund from all
uney pended balances Of money appropriated Tor
salaries OF public school teachers and from hnes'
Besides this, all money pay, compensation or salary,
or any part thereof, forfeited deducted or withheld
from any teacher or teachers for and account OF
absence from duty for any cause shall be given to
the association, Another clause in the act proposes
to turn into the treasury OF the association all moneys
received from donations, legacies, gifts, bequess'
proceeds Of entertainments or of other movements III
aid OF the general purposes and objects of said
Teachers Mutual Benefit Association which may from
time TO time become the property OF said association.
Although many members Of the Board OF Educa-
ton seemed to favor the general PLAZA OF pensonins
teachers there was strong opposition manifested
to the bill In It's present form. Commissioner Goul-
den the chairman OF the Special Committee on Legisa-
ion objected the clause which gives the Teachers
Mutual Benefit Association all unexpended balances
OF money appropriated for salaries OF public schooi
teachers, Mr. Gculdcn said that ne mad had twenty
five years experience with tontne organizations ana
he agreed with Mr.. ONel In believing that the
Teachers Mutual Benefit Association would receive
large requests aud public support If 1t had the on
cal recognition OF the Board OF Education, even II
II did not receive cent Of the citys money Com
mIssioners Harris and Lummis opposed TO the
bill as 1t stands also. II was shown that from
100000 tn 10000 of the ctys non,y would 60 to
the treasury OF the association by the provisions OF
this bill every year Commissioner Harris said he
could not understand how the taxpayer would w.
taxed less by aklpg the money coming 10 the asso-
citation from expended balances OF money appro-
priated for salaries Of public school teachers
one OF the commissioners. In speaking OF the pro
posal with Tribune reporter, said There are
also times wncn the Board of Education has to meet
unexpected q. penses for which appropriation has
been made. In sncE cases the controller transfers
unex pended balances to meet the emergency. The
salaries OF teachers form the bulk OF the expenses
OF the school system, 81 that the balance coming
from that would be. In the ordinary course OF things,
the largest II this were turned over to the Teach
ers' Mutual Benefit Association the Board OF Educa-
ton would have only inconsiderabe unexpended
pec,ed expenses special appropriations must be made,
which come as additional burdens to the taxpayer.
Thus this pensoning Of school teachers practically
Is at the expense Of the taxpayer
There are 2,O3s members Of the Teachers Mutual
Benefit Association. which Is about halt OF the num-
Der OF school teachers In the city, In case the bill
becomes law II is proposed to throw open the doors
OF the association to all school ;eachers so that all
may share equally IN its benefits. 800 .
Commissioner Maclay Is opposed to the bill. lie
said TO Tribune reporter yesterday:
"There Is good reason why this bill should pass.
On the contrary. ii Is opposed by many formidable
objections In the first place. pensions should never
b. avlshly bestowed, but should always be dispensed
with scrutiny and discrimination. especially where IN"
office of a beneacOr Is assumed and the benent CON
ferred Is In the nature OF trust freineli. ponce,
men and soldiers penSoned. because they FISK
life and limb with the service they continually render
But school-teachers take no such risks reaching Is
n profession like that OF mediclpe. law, literature.
Journalism etc and II is reasonably expected that
those who spend their lives In such pursuits Will, as
general rule put by enough Of their ear nings IN the
nrlme OF life to take of themselves In old age
II teachers In the public schools OF New York City
a,e NOT wen paid. that may be reason for raising
'heir salaries, but II Is not n good reason why a