Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-11-11
School Pensions a Success.

so great as has been represented
by certain hostile faction.
On the contrary, the success of
the new law has astonished nearly
all who have studied its provisions.
and while experience shows that
few judicious amendments can
make it work more equitably, the
statute is likely to remain forever
In the law books of Virginia.
The bill was lobbied through the
General Assembly last winter by a
fascinating and, as the sequel
proved, irresisting committee of
school-ma'ams consisting of Misses
Mary +. Frayser, Cornelia :.
Taylor, Nellie W. Birdsong, Mary
X. Webb and Cornelia Adair.
Many thought it was mere ex-
perlmental bit of legislation. but
experience has proved quite other
wise.
Today the teachers pension law,
which is due solely to the efforts
of the plucky little schoolna ans.
Is regarded as one of the most use
ful statutes that could have been
enacted.
Superintendent Eggleslon who
admits that al first me was luke
warm about the bill, says: 1T
would be calamitous to abolish the
system. II has surpassed my
fondest expectations. While the
law undoubtedly may he improved
by certain amendments. designed
to make it more equitable, it has
worked finely"
Secretary Stearns, of the State
Board of Education, who has had
charge of the distribution of the
pensions, remarked. in the same
connection: TO those who intend
TO make teaching their lifelong
profession, the law offers the finest
scheme for old age insurance on
earth"
The law provides that the salary
of each teacher in the State shall
be taxed one per cent. per annum.
in order to create the disired fund.
and it is this which has created
opposition in certain quarters. for
the one per cent. must be forth
coming whether the teacher wills
il or not.
On the other hand, the COM
plainants should remember that
the last Legislature increased all
teachers salaries ten per cent. so
they are nine per cent. better off
than they were before the General
Assembly convened. Then, too.
the new law gives the old and feeble
something to look forward to.
Under the present law, no
teacher can draw a pension of
over S400, and no principal can
draw more than $500. These are
the maximum figures, though the
general provision is that the pen
sion shall amount to One-half the
salary drawn. For example. a
teacher who retired while drawing
$500 a year would receive only
$3.50, while one drawing as much
as 81 200 year could only receive
$4OO.
Already some sixty teachers
have become beneiiciaries of the
law. 1t costs about $S,12O an
nually to pension these, whereas
the tax on the salaries throughout
the State now amounts to $50, 900.
In addition to this, the State gave
50, 900 To sum things up. bal
ance of over S21, 900 has been left
to the credit of the fund thus far,
though every year, of course, will
add to the demands upon it.
Superintendent EggIeston hopes
that the day will come-and the
figures in the foregoing paragraph
seem to indicate that it is near
when the one per cent tax on sal
aries may be reduced to three
quarters or one-half of one per
cent.
When the Educational Confer
ence sits at Newport News, Novem-
ber "a to % the subject of the
pension law and its needed amend
ments will be thoroughly discussed.
Sentiment will be overwhelmingly
against resembling the law: that is
obvious. The changes proposed
will be designed to give it addi-
tional life and force.
Some think it would be equitable
to give the law retroactive fea-
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