Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-18
SUPPORTS DISTRICT BILL
Declares There Must Be Unanimity
Among Those Interested.
FAvoRs HALF.AND-HALF PLAN
Superintendent Of Schools Outlines
Method by Which Measure May
Be Urged Upon Congress.


it-and work for it hard"
So said DR.. William NJ. Davidson. super
intendent OF public schools Of the District
Of Columbia. in a talk with a Star report
er. In q detailed explanation of the bill
DR.. Davidson brought out clearly several
important points and cleared up one
which has inspired doubt in the minds Of
many teachers. He has not the slightest
intention Of injecting into the present
pension plan anything that the Omaha
or Nebraska teachers did with their PEN
sion fund.
DR.. Davidson has allied himself strongly
with the idea Of the District of Columbia;
will stand by the bill as it now rests with
Chairman johnson Of the House District
committee, and will take the side Of the
friends Of the District who believe the
appropriation under this bill should be
made on the half-and-half principle.
''One thing 1 will insist upon." said
DR.. Davidson. lis that there shall be
unanimity Of effort among .,e teach
ers. Their committee has Endorsed the
same bill as the board Of education
has had introduced in he House, and I
intend to see to 1t that teachers and
teachers committees do not go flock
ing to Congress to present disjointed.
The teachers will be advised to
agree on a point and then put ii up to
their committee. Their committee Is
now composed of A. T. Stuart, Miss
and Miss Shandley. Mr.. Stuart was
placed on the committee after Miss Ida
DAILY resigned. 1 think 1t wise to
have him there, because no one knows
more about the subject than he. This
teachers committee will act with the
h op6 nj o6r NIL
posed Of Mrs. Mussey. Mr.. Blair and
Mr.. Daniel.
Custom Prevails Elsewhere.
Teachers pensions are being paid
now all over the United States. could
talk for hours on the need for PEN
sions. will merely say, however. that
the pension fund Is necessary. A teach
er does the greatest work in tue re-
public II her work is not well done
the republic will end with the present
generation.
"She gives up her entire life and all her
energies to bringing the coming men
and women to the highest standard She
is not well paid. and has no chance to
lay aside a sum for old age. II she has
to divert her energies toward financing
for old age, then her work as. teacher
suffers.
gives up her life and her vitality. and
then, at the time when she needs sup
port, she Is cast aside, in some cases a
believe in pensions. Not
incomes, but pensions for
the individual. On the other hand, there
are men whose families have depended
on them for years. and in figuring out
pensions this should be considered.
"One more pO.nt I want to make clear.
No teacher now in the schools would be
I11 Ia int tI0 fSV1A
and contribute to it. II she does not like
the idea she can stay out of 1t. But once
the pension fund Is established all
teachers who are appointed after that
date will have to take the pension fund
idea as a part OF their employment
conditions.
Insures Ehacient Teachers.
"A teachers pension fund makes for
efficient teachers. They can safely de-
vote their best years to the teaching of
knowing that they need not
worry in their older years.
1.-The bill. which now has the united
Endorsement Of the members Of the
board of education and the committee
of teachers, is known as House bill
1895, and was introduced June 2. 1911,
by Representative johnson. chairman Of
the House District. committee, by re-
quest Of the board OF education. It es-
the fund from which teaches g
annuities should be paid. tells how It
detail of payment. The bill seems to be
complete as IL stands, and the various
grades Of teachers pay have be n
worked out with as much care as the
actuarial tables of a life insurance
."The bill provides that there shall be
a public schools teachers retirement
fund, consisting Of two parts, one Of
which snail be known as as ne permanent
The permanent fund shall consist Of all
received from gifts, legacies, be-
quests. etc: the tuition fees Of non-resi-
dent pupils, and any unused balance at
the end Of each fiscal year after PEN
sions have been paid from the annuity
fund.
''The permanent fund will be creature
of slow growth, and when 1t reaches the
sum of 100000 It win stop and all money
in this teachers pension propo-
sition shall then be added to the annuity
tund, while the ndred-thousand-dollar
permanent fund shall be invested in
government bonds. placed In the
treasury. and shall simply be used
Is an interest bearing fund. the inter-
sst to be used as part OF the annuf-
les for teachers on pension.
National Governments Share.
Under this bill the Congress Of the
United States is asked to appropriate
l sum equal to III per cent OF the
annual appropriation for teachers SAL
aries in the District OF Columbia. this
to be made on the half
lnd-half principle. and in no way to be
/ violation OF the pledges OF the or
yanfc act of 1878, wherein the United |
states promised to share the Districts
In round numbers the
annual appropriation for teachers
Ialaries is now $1.500.000. and 1A per |
.ent Of that would be $22.500. This |
um is to be appropriated In addition |
o the teachers salaries. and becomes |
! part of the annuity fund.
you see the United States does not
an annual sum to be placed /
irectly to the credit Of the permanent /
und. That twenty-five thousand five
hundred which spoke of. as an example.
would be but a part Of the annuity fund. 4
i'd to that any balance, not to exceed /
10 600, to the credit of the appropriation
or teachers salaries q. the end Of any.I
lscal year. This provision of the bill will
lrobabiy not amount to much. for
imagine there will be no such balance LETT
,ver at any time.
'But added TO this comes the contribu-
ions Of the teachers. and over this point
here has been much Discussion. although
lCondausd On Msvsak2 Pssel j