Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-02
EATON ADDRESSES
STATE TEACHERS
lcontinned ION nage ono.l
less st be a mission Of pure philan-
thropy?
GOOD TEACHERS SCARCE.


this deficit VIII bc moro apparent IN tne
Immediate future thn IL has been ia
the past, unless steps are taken 10
counterfeit this detcriorhtin6 influence.
The question. then resolves user lnto
two divisions. namely. What should be
done ana how can IL be doue2 There
is no doubt IA the mind OF anyone as to
the answer to the first part OF the ques-
ton, and so a simple statement VIII
suffice. There should be an adequate
monetary remuneration 10 the teacher
for his work. Tho servant IS worthy
of his hire This could be brought
about by gradual raise in teachers
salaries coincdent with a gradual adj
vancement Of proficiency. Then there
should be provided a retirement fund
for teachers This latter suggestion
was not fathured by the so-Called Ost-
Ter theory, but has It's reason for ex-
istence I'm the necessities OF the case
and In the minds OF the best thinking
people of our country today. Adequate
compensation FOR service rendered can
only be realized when the amount OF
the fund at the disposal OF the board OF
education Is sufficient TO permit this
IL It is not sufficient for this end then
the tax levy for school purposes should
he made higher. The legislature alone
can do this and so II becomes our part
OF the program and, as educators, we
should be able TO do something with
AHt IdtlieIS ana ilDintIh OF the cIilQ-
rem as well as with tho children them
selves. 1t wouldn't be a bad idea to
get into politics "a little. There are
many worse things In politics today
than the school teacher in politics.
PENSION SYSTEM.
THE retirement fund should be CON
sidered alongside Of and part of ade-
quate compensation This Is not
theory for in several stntes and cities
of the union as well as ln Germany,
Great Britain, France ana other
European countries also In South
American countries, notably the Argen-
tine republic the pension system is in
practical operation. As states IN this
country where successful pension Leg
islation has been enacted may be men
toned New York Massachusetts, New
Jersey, Ohio, Illinois and California.
There are many cities too. where In
dependent enactments looking toward
the botterment of the teachers aondi-
ton are In vogue, the most important
ones at present being New York, De-
trolt and San Francisco, The effect OF
this legislation will not be apparent IN
all Its fullness until the system has
been In operation for n reasonable time.
but already the results are measurably
shown by an Increased number of ap.
plications of strong teachers for posi-
lions IN the teaching corps OF the cities
above mentioned.
RETIREMENT FUND.
"As to what constitutes the retire
ment fund for teachers in these cities
that of New York VIII afford a good
Illustration. II consists of % All
money, pay, compensation, or salary
or any Income thereof forfeited de-
Quoted. reserved. or withheld for any
cause from any member or members
~ hn af.aI la, ....t
The public day schools of the city of
New York or of the normal college and
training department of the normal COL
Icge of the city of New York (2) All
moneys received from donations leg
acies. gifts, requests or otherwise for
or on ACCOUNT Of said fund. so Five
per centum annually of all excise
moneys or license fees belonging to
the city of New York % One nor
centiim of the salaries OF all members
or the teaching and supervising STAFF of
the public day schools OF the city of
New YORK, and Of the normal college
and training department of the normal
college of the city of New York (5O
All such other methods of Increment
ms may be duly and legally devised
Tor the Increase OF said fund
After hVe years of successful opera-
non the receipts to this fund from the
above mentioned sources were:
EXCISE Money .........,,... SoG5 or 70
Deductions of Salarles........ 100. 6S5 81
i r,,s.''.. ''''''.....,....... 1906. n
donations ......,...,..,..... 300. 90
unclaimed Annultiesf. ........ 9lg2 0g
Total Observation-Disclosures. s477.2S2. II
In that year Q9O5) when this estimate
was made, tho distribution of annuities
amounted TO $500. O26 90 or SIS q5s %
less than fhp iDapuna
and figures and they tell us something.
WHAT SYSTEM ACcoMPLEHEs.
1T is doubtful il any citizen OF New
York recognized IN the lightest degree
any additional drain ON his income
by reason of this diversion of a small
percentage OF his taxes. on the other
hand, there is no doubt as TO the inn
mense amount Of good that has come
from this novel disbursement OF
part OF the public moneys
Principal Frederick Allison Tupper
Of the Brighton high school, Boston, in
an excellent article on "A Retirement
huhd Tor Teachers has most aptly
summed up the situation IN these
words;
l-~Pensions are merely part of
adequate compensation.
'2-They relieve the teachers minds
from the fear OF au old age OF poverty
or dependence,
"'3-'rhey tend Go elevate the profess
sion OF teaching by attracting able men |
ana women, aud by retaining them dur |
ing the period Of efficiency
"4-They make possible the retire !
ment OF the aged and the disabled with |
out hardship, mud so promote the digui- |
ty and general efficiency of the corps.
"'5-They tend to enable teachers 10
spend more money Tor travel. for books, |
for additional professional training and |
for an those means ~ Improvement SO |
conducive 10 the welfare NOT ogly OF |