The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-12
THE TEACHERS PENSIONS. Make the Law State Wide. Not Re- stricted to New Haven Alone.

To the Editor of the Farmer, Sir
 For several years past, the teach CTS of the state of Connecticut, organ ized as the State Teachers Associa- tion, have been endeavoring, through a regularly appointed pension cOm- mitteee, to secure the passage of a biil for the state pensioning of teachers. This is a statewide measure design ed to benefit the schools of every town in the state. Two years ago. the bill was presented in the legislature and vigorously debated in the House. This year again, 1t has been present. ed. In March, the committee on ed ucatiOn gave @ hearing that was large ly attended by educators from all parts of the state. It was sponsored by Senator Speliacy and advocated both two years ago and this year by Representative Chandler. The Rhode Island state commissioner of public schools came from Providence and addressed the senate chamber hear ing in it's behalf. Two years ago, the city superintendent of New York attended the hearing and made an el- oquent plea. Rhode Island, New Jer- sey and Maryland all have complete systems of pensions.
 But now comes New Haven, and, before the committee on cities and boroughs, advocates a bill for pensions for teachers not to include even the whole of that town. but only the part within the consolidated city district
 Is not the state of Connecticut al- ready doing enough for New Haven? ? The state supports there a separate State Normal School, which in view of the fact that a large part of it's grad uates go into the schools of the city of New Haven as teachers, is virtually a New Haven city training school main- tained at the expense of the citizens of the entire state.
 hoe school, has never asked for such a school, and does not demand it now. But is there any justice in the propo- sition that the young women of the city of New Haven shall be educated at the expense of the state of Con necticut, and then be put into the public schools of that city to be pen stoned after thirty years service, whereas all the young women in all other parts of the state shall be de- prived of the opportunity of pensions in other cities?
 ing of state Normal school graduates in New Haven does not prevent the passage of @ bill to pension teachers elsewhere in the State. But let us suppose-what is highly improbable that the legislature should pass both the state pension bill and the New Haven city pension bill, then the young women who teach in that fa- vored city will be eligible in thirty years to double pensions while the teachers in all other parts of the state will have but the one state pen sion.
 The argument presented by the To- cal advocates from the board of al- dermen and the board of education of the city of New Haven was tha, the pensions would attract a better quality of teachers to that city. And so they would But from where |? From the rest of the state. What New Haven gains unfairly the rest of the state would lose unfairly. Is it not high time that the people of our state through their accredited repre- sentatives should take wider views of the general public interest?
 The teachers of the state have worked hard and unselhshly for the