New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-28
COLLEGE PENSIONS.

Mr. Carnegie's gift Of S1O,OOOOOO to provide
retiring pensions for college professors is one
Of the most useful Of his long list Of benefac-
lions No class of men and women give more
to their fellows in proportion to their pecunlary
rewards than teachers. Most of the colleges pay
ridiculously small salaries, as average income
and necessary cost Of living are scaled to-day.
Few college professors are able to accumulate q
competence sufficient to support them adequate
" in their old age The Carnegie fund means
comfort and honorable retirement for an ex-
tremey worthy class Of persons, and at the
same time 1t is an indirect aid Of large proper
tiOns not merely to its particular benehclarles'
but to the educational institutions and their
work It means relief to the endowment funds,
especially Of the less wealthy colleges, from
burdens not strictly educational, and the rein
forcement Of faculties.
Almost every college has upon Its stan az
least one man who ought to be retired, who
himself realizes that his best work is done, but
who feels obliged to go on teaching in order to
live. He has probably been in the college
many years and has the love OF all the alumni.
The trustees would never think of taking away
his salary, and even when disability actually
forces his retirement they will continue him as
professor emeritus in the occupancy Of his en-
dOwed chair, with at least part of its income.
That respect for old age and faithful service is
worthy of all praise, but it has its practical dis
advantages It results in putting classes under
men who are no longer able to give the best in
struction, and it taxes the funds Of colleges so
that even when they do reinforce their facul-
ties they have to divide their income among
effective and ineffective men. OF course, under
such circumstances the best teachers cannot be
secured. Mr.. Carnegie's gift practically amounts
10 an endowment of new chairs in hundreds Of
colleges. The annual income Of 100000 from
the fund will be sufficient to provide half pay
for from two hundred and fifty to three hundred
men. AS State and strictly sectarian institu-
tons do not participate this should provide for
at least two pensions in each Of the institutions
which Mr.. Carnegie seeks to benefit.
1t was happy thought Of Mr.. Carnegie to
group American, Canadian and Newfoundland
institutions together as participants in this pen.
sion scheme. The political line should not d.
vide the English speaking scholars Of this CONT
nent. They should be brought together In Ties
Of sympathy and interest Colleges in the
United States will surely welcome this addi-
uonal bond with the institutions across the
border. The supporters OF the State unIversI-
ties, whose professors are excluded from Mr.
Carnegies list will soon be under the necessity
Of matching his generosity and making pro.
vision for their superannuated teachers where
they have not already done so. The Civ Col
lege here. which is a public institution pensions
It's teachers, just as the teachers in the public
schools are pensioned, but few legislatures have
yet taken broad enough view of the claims NJ
the State supported universities The sectarian
colleges have less to hope for than the puhIIc
institutions Most Of the colleges included in
MI Carnegie's scheme were sectarian in origin
but they have grown out of it for all practical
purposes Perhaps the trustees are by custom
largely Of the founding denomination. or some
chairs are endowed for members of that de-
nomination, but their support comes mainly
from other quarters, as do their students. The
colleges which are still so partisan as to be
without the pale of Mr. Carnegies gift must look
Tor their pensions, as for other resources. TO
what is left in this day Of Christian fellowship
of strict sectarian zeal.