The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-04-11
THE PRINCIPLE OF PENSIO..lNG
TEACHERS,

Among the bills passed by the late Leg
islature, and which having been signed by
the Governor since its adjournment has be-
come law, is that authorizing a payment
by the Commissioners of Cecil county
of ten dollars month to Miss Martha
Biddle, respected teacher of this county,
who for more than forty years has exer-
cised her vocation as such.
This graceful act of the Legislature sug
gests the question-"why should not all
teachers who have spent the best periods of
their lives as teachers in our public schools
upon completion of a prescribed number of
years, become entitled to pensions upon
their retirement?
In other words, why should they not be
recognized as having legitimate and hon
orable claim for support upon the State
Government, in the same sense, and upon
similar conditions, as retired officers of our
army and navy have upon the general
government?
The WING thinks they should so be
recognized, not as subjects of charity, but
as deserving and honorable claimants upon
the States bounty and consideration.
The principle upon which the Govern
nent of the United States grants pensions
to its deserving servants is one of simple
justice and equity
IT man for moderate compensation,
spends the prime of his life in the service
of his government, when his physical and
mental powers begin to decay, and his
vigorous years are past, he should be taken
care of during his remaining days, when he
becomes incompetent by reason of age and
accommodating infirmities to successfully
compete with younger men in the ordinary
vocatiOns of life.
The principle is one of simple justice
and humanity.
And why is the same principle not equally
applicable in the case of man or woman,
who having spent the prime of his or her
life in the public schools, upon meagre and
generally insufficient salaries, when the
period of disqualification for active work
arrives, be equally deserving at the hands
of the State?
Now it is apparent, that the general
government while it pensions its deserving
servants, who either in the army or navy
become physically disqualified by reason of
age, gets better men, and more highly
qualified officers by reason of it's pension
system.
1t is not then with the government a
mere motive OF humanity or a question Of
justice only, it becomes matter of public
interest.
This fact is being recognized by large
business and commercial houses in all our
large cities
Leading merchants, prominent news
paper proprietors, recognize the justice and
advantage of the pensioning system, and
in some cases, retire worthy emplnye
after given term Of service upon whole
pay while other firms retire them upon
half pay.
They recognize the fact, that they secure
by such a system, better employees and
more effective service.
The man who knows that at the end of u
faithful term of twenty-five or thirty years,
he will retire from his work, provided with
reasonable competence during the balance
of his life, has before him an incentive for
greater efficiency, and greater devotion to
the interests Of his employer.
The case is precisely the same with the
teachers in our public schools.
The knowledge that the wants Of their
declining years will be certainly provided
for, that after a long period of service, they
will be protected against poverty, and the
humiliations Of threatening indgency,
necessarily acts as a spur and incentive
to better service, and Of which the State
receives the corresponding benefit.
Not only because the WING believes the
principle correct one, but because better
teachers would be secured, and the stand
ard OF individual qualification be raised, it
hopes to see the pension system yet applied
to the schools Of the State. as desirable
and advantageous incentive, to efficient
work in that important adjunct Of our civil
system.