The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-13
Voice Of the People.
wants More Liberal Pensions for
rTc8cherg.
It,n- az tive Times. dispatch:

Teachers.
Editor OF The -Dispatch:
Sir,--As the retired teachers pen
sion law IS before the Lesisla,Iinre
on this subject would be opportune
at this time. Nearly all classes agree
that some permanent pension provision
should be made for public school teach-
III health or the intrmities OF old age.
Tho teachers who wear away thsil
lives and ruin their health by marc
study, hard work and close coi' t.,t.
Inent in the carbon!c acid gas i aaavn
atmosphere OF a crowded schoolroo,iu
in order TO build up the state by MAI
ing good intelligent citizens OF Tvs
usople, certainly deserve o pension az
much so as the soldiers, whose serves
are of only occasional utility In thesa
T,ip,ng DAYS of arbitration and almosi
continuous peace conferences. rms 10
not meant as reflection upon Inc
solder. All honor to him! Let him nave
his pension, too. ~, .ar,. a,1
the meagre salaries paid TO TEACHERS
in tho past. but few. Il any OF them.
+, have been able to have q cot!Ps lsHes
for the emergencies OF III hsa, rnaans
I; should be provided to pension inc
| fai,hful ones in their declining years,
and this provision should be mans
| to embrace all worthy teacneIs !" ~ ~
! served
years. whether he or she be snsa ,Ssr
I Il ant,ve service now or not. In other
words. all public school teachers WEI
| have rendered signal service 70 .a.e
State In the noble sci. -sacs'i ,ir,n since
1870, should be placed eSac c.ay., I nI,s.
the same footing in this "pension ou5,
mess. This is but just ana rigma
is the real democratic iaea oil, Oh e,na -.
rights to all, with special privileges ~ =,
49,, There are few entnentiy
Successful teachers, who served the e
State faithfully for q long term ~. ~
years In the past, but VINO. owing 10 ~
health or other unayoidable Gireum M.
their lifeworls in the schoolroom prlo1
~ the enactment of the retired teacn
ers. pension law" Some OF these gray
heads can show better results IRON s,
their work In the schoolroom than
many who are now in active service
Enthusiastically these old public ser
wants deserve recognition IN tnis psn
sion" business, especially as ~ fo,. X,
/ diaries can be made to account ior lne
prescribed assessments. when they arr
placed on ..the retired list" II snoule
| he remembered that not all OF the
"fund' is derived from the ! per PEI !. cen rsa i
s portion of it is appropriated py lne
State, and provision is made FOR app y,
4 ing legacies, bequests. ct cetera, 70 sm W.
pension fund" hence ,, all her w ~ years. ears
I
at any time in the past, Should D'
treated exactly alike; h,oa,,o,.h,.
BY eliminating the sbjsGsi 2, aea'
phrase .'at the tine" n me si% xear sG h,
or she taught" in its stead. by raisint
the minimum are limit for those wh'
retire voluntarily. after an agereGat'
service of twenty-five. years, 70 my
Charles TO account for the per cent
; assessment when they are placed upol
. the retired list and by making IN
maximum quarterly pension. wh ,s
! over over SIS or 500. the present "penssIles1
: law" would be n very good one; IN
law thus amended would greatly re
! duce the number of applicants, an
: perhaps make the available funds eG a,a
10 the task imposed upon them. Tn
+ i per cent. assessment on salaries
T a very small matter. The teacher VIII
! would object to paying so small SUI
: for such a righteous cause 3. IS no. MAG
{ good, intelligent citizenship is til
chief bulwarl5 q tho STATE sst ana Nd ~ 2
Commonwealth is the greatest pene, !.
a should unquestionably supplement n
Q teachers assessment by making ~
y eral appropriation to tho 'pensio
Z fund" Finally, such pension au''a !
make life profession Of teaching. II
stead Of making it a stepping ston
n to something hiFher, and II VIII resu
e The ~ublic school system was d.
q signed for the education Of the poore
r. masses and not for the special benet
'e of the rich classes. Smaller .apprt
Re prlations to tho great universities ar
- colleges. which are endowed and sci
), supporting. and where, mainly II
Is opulent professional classes are traine
10 and more liberal allowances to Il
Is common schools, where the children I
Al the masses are coached In the rud
s. ments OF erudition, would prove gre;
ar unlft to the idea of nonular educi
~ ton. VOX APOPUI4T,
:. SWansonsYille EebrunrY Z.