New-York tribune., 1906-06-13
PENSIONS FOR EDUCATORS.

Mr. Carnege's generous scheme of providing
! pensions for veteran educators at their retire
ment from active service is abundantly approved
in the manner of its earliest application The
first yearly list of its benefciaries has just been
published and it is cOnspicuousy worthy enc.
There will be surprise at the reminders that
some of its members have so long been III the
educational harness. that some Mt so advanced
an age have continued In active work and that
some at comparatively early an age have
completed 50 many years of service: and there
will be regret at the retirement of men whose
careers have been so fruitful of good. But there
will be no objection TO single name as un-
worthy to receive such a bounty. On the con-
trary, there will, we believe, be hearty approval
Of the discretion with which the trustees of Mr.
Carnegie's gift have selected the benehciaries
and also large measure of qualification at the
bestowal of such allowances upon men who
have so amply earned them.
The system so happily begun will be both a
relief and an encouragement to the educational
profession. 1t may be said without offence, if
not, indeed, TO their praise, that some of these
men urgently in need of such relief these
pensions will afford. Their salaries have been
no larger than their current needs. Their aca-
demic duties and the devotion with which they
have been fulfilled have prevented them from
engaging in other labOrs which might have been
pecuniarily profitable. They have now reached
ages at which entrance into money making busi-
ness would be impossible, even if the scholastic
habits of lifetime had not untitled them for
such pursuits Weary and old with service"
they are literally dependent upon pensions of
some sort. if they not to suffer actual want
TO become charges upon relatives or friends.
To such men these allowances will be a welcome
relief, and the example and promise thus given
will be a source of encouragement and lnspira-
tiOn 10 others to give their best efforts TO the
instruction of their pupils and to scientific re-
search and literary labOrs, without anxiety con-
cerning the future.
The system will also be a boon to the col
legeS, since it will in measure free them from
responsibility for the superannuated members of
their faculties. 1t would, from some points of
view, be an ideal arrangement for each college
to provide suitable retiring pensions for its pro-
fesSorS. Some doing So and some may con-
tinue to do So But there are few colleges in the
land whose budgets show balances to the good.
Every dollar of income Is needed for the work
of the active members of the faculties. To use
any of the revenue for pensions is by just so
much to lessen ability for educational work. If
Mr.. Carnegie's fund takes care of retired pro-
fessor it leaves the college free TO use its in
come, unimpaired to that extent, for the active
promotion of knowledge. OF course, it cannot
be said that colleges are thus freed from duties
which they ought to perform, or that professors
made recipients of aims, for the endowment
of chairs has long been recognized as a legt-
innate and desirable thing, and this pension
system is nothing but a discreet extension Of
the endowment system. The list of about fifty
educators who are TO be the first recipients of
these allowances Is really roll of honor, and
of honor which is shared by themselves, by their
benefactOr and his agents, and by the insttu-
tions which have been the scenes of their labor.