The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-21
TEACHERS FAVOR
PENSION FUND
Petition Signed by Majority
Presented to Board of
Education.
REQUEST MUST BE GRANTED
STATUTE PROVIDES FOR A RE-
TIREMENT COMMISSION.

majority of the teachers in the Salt
Lake schools have pe1itioned the board
of education for the organization of a
public school teachers retirement COM
mission. The petition was presented at
the last meeting of the board and is now
under consideration by the committee on
teachers.
The request is based on chapter III,
Laws of Utah. 1867 being one of the nu-
merous measures affecting public schools
passed by the last legislature. Under the
terms of the act the board cannot turn
down the petition, although il is freely
understood that many of the members
are opposed to the idea.
The bill was introduced by Representa-
tive Richards, of Salt Lake county, and
was passed without opposition, having the
backing of the local teachers association
state.
The purpose of the law IS to establish
a fund for the .pensioning of teachers I'M
der certain restrictions and conditions.
In the first place a commission COM
posed Of seven members is to be appoint
ed and this commission will have COM
plete charge of the retirement fund and
its distribution Three of the members
are TO be selected from among the petit
tioning teachers, the city superintendent,
the clerk of the board of education and
two members of the board. The treasurer
of the board IS made treasurer of the
commission.
Optional With Teachers.
After the board is duly organized the
superintendent shall notify each teacher
in the city of the fact and inquire wheth-
er he or she desires to become a member
of the Retirement association. In case
Of declination the teacher may only be
come member in the future by a two
thirds vote of the commission and the
paying of all back dues.
The income is to be received from three
sources. First, all teachers who are men,
bers of the association shall pay one per
cent of their salaries into the retirement
fund, this amount to be deducted from
their checks by the clerk of the board Of
education.
Second. all amounts deducted from
teachers salaries on account Of absence
through sickness, not to exceed five DAYS
in any one year.
Third. all moneys received from dona-
tons. legacies. gifts, requests for or on
account of said fund.
Two Glasses of Benefits.
Under the law there are two classes of
beneficiaries under the retirement fund
By a vote of two-thirds Of the retirement
commission the board of education shall
have the power TO retire any member of
the association who Is mentally or phys
1Cally incapdcitated for the performance
of duty, provided that the teacher has
taught in the district for five years. and
whose entire term of service in schools
has aggregated thirty years Such q
teacher shall receive a pension equal 10
half the average annual salary earned
for the five years preceding retirement. 1t
Is also provided that in case the teacher
has not served thirty years he shall be en-
titled to as many thirtieths of the half
salary as his years of service are part of
thirty If At any time the teacher re-
covers sufficiently to earn his living he
snail cease TO draw the pension.
The second class is for any teacher who
has taught thirty years. spent one-third
Of that time in the district where the ap-
- * ma De "a I
has reached the age of 60 years. Per
sons fulfilling these requirements shall be
placed on the retired list by the board of
education and shall be entitled to one-haIf
the yearly salary earned during the pre-
cedlnG i've years as A life annuity.
The enforcement of the first provision
seems to be optional with the board from
a reading of the law. but is specified
provision. whether il desires to do so or
not.
Deductions Go to Fund.
1t is further provided that teachers who
teach in other districts for Il period may
keep their membership in the home as
ISOLATION, and if a teacher is dismissed
from the services of the board or resigns
on his own accord he shall be entitled. up
on application, to a refund of half the
amount he has paid into the retirement
fund II at any time the funds of the re-
urement association are not sufficient to
meet the annuities, each claimant shall
be paid pro rata share of the funds that
are available
Il is understood that the chief objection
the board of education has to the estab-
llShment OF such commission is the fact
That during each year the board derives a
considerable revenue by reason of paw de-
auctions when teachers are absent from
work. The salary schedule IS now at the
maximum and in order to meet IL these
pay deductions help out considerably. Ac-
corning 10 the new law all these must be
turned INTO the retirement fund