The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-23
THE TEACHERS GUILD.
Prof. Jepson's Coming Concert March
 28 and 20.

Monday and Tuesday, March 2S and 20. | It is to be under the direction of Prof. Jepson, supervisor of music in the pulp lie schools and this fact is of itself sufficient guarantee that the exercises | will be first class in every respect. The high order of the various numbers of | the programme will attract the atten- tion of all lovers of good music and creditable literary performances, and the several artists engaged for the oc- casion have established reputations and will afford satisfaction. The en- tertainment is for the benefit of the Connecticut Teachers Annuity guild | the services of all taking part in the programme and in arranging for the l carrying out of the details connected with the project have been rendered l freely and without compensation. The Teachers guild was organized two or three years ago and it has for it's principal object the securing of an- nuities for those of it's members who ! become disabled while following their | plOlCo1loiiS etilA etLC OpAA6Ci SO ISAiiilttl9A l their positions. There are already | nearly 600 members and as soon as the | teachers of the state come to realize 1 the value and importance of the insti- tuition the number of members will rap | idly increase. Sound business prfnci- | pies prove the rightness of insurance of both life and property, and nowa- days the mater of indemnity in case of sickness is beginning to receive the at I tention which it deserves. The prin- ciples of the Connecticlut Teachers I guild are similar to those which are the foundation of the subject of teach 1 CTS pensions throughout the country. Whatever tends to strengthen and inn | prove the character of those who nave the charge of pupils will be of great | benefit to the schools. During the last | three or four years the legislatures of seven states have passed bills relating to the matter of pensions of those who have served definite periods in the schools. The object of the whole class of benefit associations, whether con- nected with the schools or with busi- ness concerns, is to lay aside part of to-day's income to meet to-morrow's emergencies, old age, sickness or dis ability. Such associations, when found- ed on strong financial basis, are cor rect in principle, and they will be of l great benefit to all their members, either from ethical or actual consider ations.
 In most cases membership is entirely voluntary as is the matter of life or property insurance, but in some tn- stances it is compulsory, as in the cit ies of Detroit, Chicago, Cincinnati and New York A teachers guild is worthy of patronage because 1t undertakes to provide for those who are in distress or who by age or long service are no longer able to follow their profession; and, accordingly, 1t is doing only what it being done by the members of other professions and trades under similar conditions and circumstances.
 There are considerations which would seem to make it the duty of I every state to take this matter in hand and place it on substantial foundations. The state, i. e., the government pro- vides for aged or incapacitated sol diers who have expended their strength in the public service, and it would seem like a simple act Of justice for the state to make similar provisions for it's teachers.
 The teacher is licensed by the state, and is, to a considerable extent, a state officer. He is supported in part by state funds. and is under certain limitations fixed by the state. On account of his profession he is debarred from oppor- tunities open to most people; and, compared with the work he performs, his compensation is small, the average monthly salary in the United States for 1s95-6 being, for males, $47.39 and for females s4o.24
 Just as the duties of a minister a physician or a lawyer unfit him for getting his living in other callings, So the duties of a teacher, being conse- crated to the services of the state, should entitle him to the protection of the state. Were the state to take off, cial cognizance of this matter, the ten ure of office of the teacher would not be subject to f1uctuation, and he would be willing to prepare himself better to do his work because of a feeling of se- curity in his position. For this reason the efficiency of service would be great ly increased and the state would re-
 ceiye greater benefit for it's expendi- ture, Likewise, the state would re- ouire a higher standard of qualification and 8 higher grade of real teachers would be encouraged to devote them- selves to the profession.
 Under the protecting arm of the state the teacher would feel like giving his best energies to the welfare of the
 children, the embryo citizens. and he
 would thus conserve the interests com mitted to his care.
 The schools are for the state. The
 state compels parents to send theif ' children to school, providing with con-
 sistency the school houses and furni- ture, the text books and other supplies
 as equipment and tools, the teachers
 to train the children so that they shall
 be able to make the most of life in
 their parts as citizens; and, in what
 ever way the greatest amount of good
 can be accomplished, thereby will the ' state succeed in realizing the object ot
 it's design in establishing the system of
 public schools.
 Until the state sees its duty and priv
 ilege in the matter of teachers pen sions the teachers guilds must, in a