Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-08-04
RESOLUTION WAS LOST
Opponents of Teachers Pension
Won FPS to ITO
Many voters-Appeal to Glass Made by
Labor Leader.

Appeal to class defeated the propo-
stion to pay a pension to Mrs. Stella s.
Elmer in q special meeting of the incor-
porated school district in the high
school room Tuesday evening In prob
ably the largest school meeting ever held
in the district, more than 800 persons
being present, Scion A. Richmond di-
rected remarks to the wage earners as a
class and urged them not to make of it
self pension bureau and told them that
pensions granted to teachers would be
used as a hammar by which wages
would be hammered down. Without
making any distinction between those
who simply work for wages and those
who perform a public service he asked
if any of the working people Of Brat
tleboro wanted pensions, and he dwelt
on the subject of taxation and increased
expenses.
The vote on the question was 225 no
and 40 yes, the negative side winning
by more than two to one. An article in
the warrant for the regular meeting two
weeks earlier was passed over by
small vote and the friends of the meas
ure felt that the meeting did not repre-
sent the real sentiment of the district.
They therefore called a special meeting
to act on the article again AS pre-
viously stated Mrs Elmer has taught
over S5 years and is eligible for pen
sion OF nan ner salary, WHICH NOuiN
amount to $i25 year. 1t was her de-
sire to retire on the pension and to that
end she had rendered her resignation,
but 1t has not been accepted and sne
probably will reaurR to school the COM
ing year.
When DR.. Henry D. Holton, moder-
ator, called the meeting to order IL
could be seen plainly that the article
would have hard shedding, the element
of which Mr.. Richmond posed as lead
err being present in large numbers. Prob
ably more than 100 were there who
never before saw the inside of the build
y ing Clerk w. B. Smith read the war
:Arant and Immediately Col. j. Gray Els
tey offered a resolution TO pay MRS. FL
mer a pension of 1925 year. lie spoke
Of her many years of faithful pubic
service and said our debt to her was
more than we could pay. Mr.. Richmond
then arose and congratulated the dis
trict because a sufficient number were
present to make the meeting represen-
tative He referred to the complaint
that teachers are underpaid and said the
supply exceeded the demand. There is
more money in it for them," he said,
than they can get in any other way"
Clarke c. Fits made one of the best
speeches ever heard in the high school
room He said it was to be regretted
that a discussion of the matter had got
ten itself into a question of classes, and
stated that the voice of a leading bust
ness man ought to have the same IN
fluence with labor as the voice of Ia
boring man should have He refuted the
idea that the public school teachers
taught merely for what money there
was in the work and cited the example
of the late B. F. Bingham, who was
principal more than % years, received a
pittance for a salary and spent it all in
vi in his modest OttiCe girls
could be named by the score he said,
who receive more salary than do the
teachers. The life of the teacher, he
said, is a life of service and the public
must recognize that it imposes counter
burden on the public. He said the pro-
Ar0sed step was in the line of progress
and if carried out would show that
Brattleboro was just with the teachers
who were serving the public and thai
we Were progressive in our ideas of gov
eminent.
principal E. B. Smith spoke briefly
saying that all the teachers We're ear
nestly in favor of the plan to grant Mrs
Elmer a pension. IF you turn it dowr
you take the heart out of us" Mr.
Smith said, because you will not be
supporting this school" All the speak.
ers were applauded.
Mr.. Richmond announced 1--WE shall
call for a ballot" and the moderator
stated that a check list also would b'
used. Printed ballots were distributed
and while that was going on i. f. Hol
den asked if the women could vote first
The chairman said they would have t
take their chances with the rest. Bal
lot clerks We're appointed and for abou
an hour there was a jam in front of bot
of the teachers desks, which were con
verted into polling places. Women VIII
paid taxes were allowed to vote and n
question was raised as to the elgibilit
of persons to vote who had not pal
their taxes, either this year or las
At $50 Dr. Holton announced the resu
and a motion to adjourn was carried.