The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-22
TEACHERS PENSIONS
More Legislation to Be
Sought This Winter by
BaCkerS Of the Fund.
CONFERENCE AT TRENTON, SATURDAY
Pedagogues in the Almshouse-
Fifteen applicants for Aid
Progress Of the Movement.
Especial to .The Jersey city News."l

Especial to The Jersey City News.'
TRENTON, Nov. %, 1S97.-The members
of the teachers retirement FUND of the
State Teachers Association held a meet
ing in the Senate Chamber at the State
House on Saturday. Principal Franklin
Thorn, of the Paterson High School, was
made chairman and Miss NJ. E. Thomas,
of Bayonne, was selected as secretary.
The meeting had for it's object the dis
cussion of the amendments relating to the
constitution that last winter passed the
Legislature, but were defeated by the
Governor because of q number of mis-
takes made by the engrossing department.
The retirement fund will again push
these amendments at the coming session.
Miss Elizabeth A.. Allen. of Hoboken,
who is secretary of the State Board of
Trustees, made q speech of considerable
length in the interest of the fund.-. She
said that at the present time two teach
erS who had rendered many years hard
labor to the State of New Jersey in in
structing the rising generation were now
in the ~poorhouse, and she added that not
w-ltlstanding this fact the policeman who
walks the streets and the fireman who
labors in the protection of property are
pensioned with half their salary for the
remainder of their life after they pass
the years of usefulness. Continuing, the
II oo40 Slla 9aAlA q ~
things Should revive the interest OF the
younger teachers II make them take an
active part in the provision of a small
income for those who grow old in the
service and are given but little recognl-
ton by the powers of the State.
Miss Allen read the amendments as
passed by the Legislature during the lat
ter part of last February. 1t was shown
that several material alterations had been
made in the constitution of the retirement
fund in the bill, the most important Of
which was the law governing the organi-
cation of the Board of Trustees. Under
the new regime the Board is composed OF
the State Superintendent of the Board of
Public Education, three members of the
Educational Board and three teachers ap-
pointed by the State Teachers Associa-
ton. The advantage, she said, derived
from q smaller number of persons serving
as trustees was that they were easier to
get together; there was less unnecessary
discussion of measures to be introduced,
and, most important of all, the retirement
fund was better represented and had
much more influence in the Board than
they formerly had. when the Board was
first organized" she said, I'VE had fully
twenty-five members, the majority of
whom were against the promotion OF the
new association. OF course, we mad 70
submit, and were oftentimes hindered in
our work through the intervention OF a
few of the trustees. We then had the
three teachers taken from the Teachers,
Association and there was no !eglslatlon
IL IL l6f4 IN
against the retirement fund. As it is the
three teachers have to belong TO the fund
and be regular contributing members
There was q further provision in the
amendment which rec. red TO the payment
of the debts OF the organization. This
set forth that the amount in the treasury
of the fund. when not sufficient to pay the
entire Indebtedness, should be distributed
pro rata among the creditors.
Superintendent s.. e. Manness, of the
Camden public schools, announced thai
the retirement fund had at the present
time SIS, 600 of a surplus. He said, how
ever. there is no reason why the amount
should not be Increased, and this can be
ACCOMPLISHED in q very easy manner.
There are now some 1,500 teachers in the
State who are not members of this organi-
cation. The majority of that number are
eager to join. We can let them in, but
we can make no distinction between the
young and able ones and the aged and
soon to be retired. The latter, of course,
would come in. | would like to have the
membership open for one year to all who
want to get into the fold, and give every
one a like opportunity to become affiliated
with u.s.
A motion e~mbodying his suggestion
time limit was extended to two years.
This is the time now given new teachers
to join the fund.
There are at present 1000 paid up mem
bers of the fund. Thirteen applications
have been made for retirement SO far.
A session of the Executive Committee of
the organization was held after the regu-
provided that the two incapacitated teach
ers spoken of by Miss Allen should be
provided for until they are regularly re-
tired under the law.