Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-07-14

school in the state 30 years is eligible to
receive a pension, the money for pen
sions to be raised by the towns or in
corporated districts. Such pension shall
not exceed one half the annual salary
received by the teacher during the last
five years. After a service of more than
IS years Mrs. Elmer desires to lay down
the burden of school work and take ad-
vantage of the new statute, to the ad-
vantages of which she Is justly entitled
In announcing her resignation the pru-
dental committee make the following
statement:
After an honorable and most faith
full service of thirty-fve years Mrs.
James p. Elmer has placed her letter
of resignation in the hands of your COM
mittee. Whether we shall accept this
resignation or not viii depend in large
measure upon the fulfilment or non full
filment of certain conditions of which
you will be advised later in this report.
At this place we can simply express our
deep appreciation. and the appreciation
of the entire community, for the work
that Mrs Elmer has so well done during
more than a generation of school life.
1t may not be amss, too, If here as a
matter of record, we call your attention
to brief summary of her active career
as a teacher
I'm the winter of 1893 Mrs Elmer
Uhen unmarrled) taught district
school in Newfane. The following year
QS63-D she was employed as teacher of
a primary school in Brattleboro. In 1864
she first became an instructor in our
high school, when only one assistant per-
formed the duties not otherwise taken
by the master. From this time until the
year 1869 Mrs. Elmer was constantly en-
gagged in this position. After the lapse
of few years, during which home cares
demanded her exclusive attention, she
again resumed her duties at the high
school. This was in 1882; and, beginning
the following year QSS3) she has taught
continuously until the present times
years in all Her total service in point
of time represents a period of 80 years
and two terms-devoted entirely to work
in a single school.
This is an unusual record. It re-
fleets credit upon Mrs. Elmers effici-
ency as a teacher and as a moulder of
character of youth as well as upon
those in authority who have wisely up
held her in her position from year to
year, so that the largest number pos
sible might be brought within the sway
of her personality and be taught lessons
in obedience, truth-telling and cheerful
ness, not found in books.
And now that this teacher, beloved
and honored by successive classes of
lIBH ScHOOl SCHOldTS, curing three de-
cades and a half of active service, de-
sires to lay down the burdens and re-
sponslbilties of her position may We not
grant her request for a pension as made
to your committee. in compliance with
the law passed by the Vermont egisla-
ture at it's last session?
1--WE believe that this request should
be granted and trust that the district
may take favorable and unanimous ac-
ton upon It,"
Then follows the text of the statute
Continuing, the committee say:
Since the salary of Mrs. Elmer for
the past five years has been $3.50 the
maximum pension that she is entitled to
receive is $425. and this is what we ear
nestly hope may be granted.
1T is proper to state in this connec-
ton that under the law as it now stands
no other teacher in the high school will
be eligible for a pension for nearly
20 years and with two exceptions) the
same thing is true if the teachers in the
grades; consequently the amount of
money that the district may be called
upon to pay out from year to year, un-
der this pension act, can never be large,
and portion of this sum, even, may at
a later time be assumed by the state"