The Jersey City news., 1906-04-06
Miss Elizabeth Allen in a
Lettet to Senator Minturn
Tells Why It Should Pass
WHENCE THE OPPOSITION
IT COMES MAINLY FROM THOSE
WHO DO NOT MEAN N TO REMAIN
N THE STANDARDIZATION or
MAKING MEMBERSHIP con-
PULsoRY.

In reply to the criticisms Of the public
teachers who are opposed to the Teach
ers Retirement Fund bill. passed by the
Assembly and now pending in the Sen
ate, Miss Elizabeth A. Allen, of Hobo
! ken. has written letter to Senator
James F. Minturn, giving her reaaons
why she thinks the bill should become a
law and why certain teachers are OPP
pose TO it.
She claims:-
..First-The Teachers Retirement
| Fund is now, and always has been,
department of New Jerseys public school
system. At present it is Article, XIV.
of the State School Law. and the bill in
the Senate (Assembly No. 440 is an
amendment to this article.
.'Second-The fund is furnished en-
tirely from the salaries of those teachers
who are members thereof, and by their
voluntary efforts in the way of enter
tainments, etc. No aid is asked of the
State or has ever been asked. except
/ that the State pay the triding expense
| (about $1,500) of administering fund
of which all educators agree the State
Il q +ha Schnnlc aud not +ha 4ea cher a.
is the chief beneficiary. as the fund re-
! lieyes the schools of aged and incapaei-
tated instructors and permits their places
TO be filed with younger and vigorous
ones
Third Financial unsoundness has
long been alleged against the fund, and
a year ago the State Teachers Associa-
ton appointed Commission of Inquiry
instructed to investigate the existing
| fund and make recommendations for its
/ betterment. This commission Composed
Of the Hon. Charles H. Hartshorne of
Jersey City, Judge William r. Coding-
ton of Plainfeld, and Professor Byron G..
Mathews of the Newark High SchooD
made a searching study. and reported to
| the Association at Atlantic City, last
December. Pursuant to this report the
Association appointed a commission, in
structed to frame and introduce in the
Legislature what in their opinion should
be AN adequate Retirement Fund Bill
"The measure now in the Legislature
| (Assembly No. 44D is the bill prepared
| by this second commission which in
cludes a number of the leading educa-
tors Of the State and the members of the
Commission of Inquiry In drawing
the bill the commission worked in col
/ laboration with Governor Stokes and Mr..
David Parks Fackler, for many years
/ consulting actuary of the New York
| State Department of Insurance. Judge
Gilbert Collins was legal adviser to the
| commission, which had in addition the
counsel of Judge Coding on and Mr..
| Hartshorne, while the Attorney-G General
was consulted on certain points. All
agree that the bill is sound financially
/ and legally
"Fourth-It is most important to bear
in mind the fact that the bill is entirely
voluntary Members of the existing
! fund are free to exchange into the new
fund. or remain in the present fund with
every right and privilege they now pos
sess, as they may deem the more advan-
tageous; and they have till the end of
this year In which TO make up their
minds.
s.All teachers employed IN New Jersey
at the time of the passage Of this Act,
have till January 1 in which 10 decide
whether they will join the fund or not.
). s.A,l teachsrs appointed in this Safe
after the passage of this Act and prior
to January /, 1908, have till this date
to decide whether they win join the fund
or not.
1T is important to keep the preced-
ing facts in mind, for an attempt is be-
ing made to delude the teachers tand leg
islators, as well. presume) into the idea
that the bill violates existing contracts
and is compulsory on members of the ex-
isting fund and on teachers who are not
members.
@Fifth-In New York City and in
many other places all teachers are re-
quirea by law to be members Of the An
nuity Fund Assembly No 447 (Section
221, Iy.) provides that all teachers ap-
pointed in New Jersey on and after Jam
uary 1. 1908, shall become members Of
the fund by virtue Of such appointment.
This provision was adopted unanimously