The Mankato free press., 1913-03-07
Features Of Act That
Give Teachers Pension
From Mondays Daily.

AS was stated in The Free Press
on Saturday, the committee on edu.
cation of the Minr esota house has
recommended for passage the teach
ers' pension and retirement bill in
accordance with the recommendation
OF the Minnesota Educational asso-
citation. The association at it's last
session went on record in favor OF
teachers pensions as a state policy.
1t is in response to this position that
the bill has been introduced and
given favorable consideration.
The bill as drawn provides for the
following main features.
1t applies to all persons engaged in
educational work in the state wheth-
er in public schools or state institu-
tions.
Participation by those now teach.
ing is voluntary; it is compulsory
on the part of those entering the
work after the passage of the bill
Retirement Voluntarily.
1t provides for retirement volun-
tarily by any teacher who has taught
twenty-five years, fifteen of which
must have been in schools supported
in part or in whole by the state.
A person so retiring is to receive
an annuity for life amounting to
one half salary with maximum limit
of one thousand dollars and minimum
Of four hundred
All participants are to contribute
first one and later two per cent of
their annual salary till an amount
equal to one years annuity has been
paid in.
A refund is provided for to the
estates of those who die in the term
Of service, prorata amount Of
annuity is provided for those who
become incapacitated after ten years
of service.
A tax of one tenth OF mill is
provided for by the state to create
the balance of the fund.
Who Makes Up The Board.
The fund is to be managed by a
board of five of whom two are the
state superintendent of public in
struction and the state auditor, eX.
officio. The others are two appoint
ed by the governor and one elected
by the participants. The state trea'
surer is custodian of the funds.
AT least six other states among
which are Wisconsin, Rhode Island
and New Jersey have pension laws in
some form for teachers. Many
others like Minnesota have the mat
ter under favorable consideration
In addition to the state laws many
of the larger cities of the country
have pension laws in the absence
of state provision. The forms of
the laws vary. The term of serv.
ice, for example, varies from twen-
ty to thirty-five years. Practically
all provide for contribution by those
who are to participate in the bene-
fits. The Minnesota bill represents
features of several other bills and
laws. The large cities in Minnesota
thought that these can be merged
in state wide law.
Not a Charity Act.
The arguments of those who favor
the law are not as may be at first
supposed those of charity TO any
class of persons or employees. 1t
is generally admitted that salaries
Of teachers are not comparable with
the standard of living required and
the ability and qualifications de-
manded. This is not, however, the
main argument.
The main argument is the only one
which the state has right to rec
ognize in an educational policy, eff.
ficiency of the schools. 1t is be-
lieved that assurance of respectable
ot thn n1nSn of lnno
of service, the .commendable am
bition of most people, will attract
to and keep III the educational work
the ADLER class of men and women
who are needed. At present the
work of teaching is attractive and
relatively lucrative for short service
but not for long service. The re-
suit is that men in particular leave
the work at about the time they
are coming TO their greatest efficien-
cy and the work is left again in in
experienced hands.
The necessity OF constant saving
for an uncertain though assuredly
early retirement keeps teachers of all
classes from spending as much as
they should and would spend to
hcSp themselves up WIFI lnSlf WOfk.
Reason for Pension.
Again the relatively short terms
OF service in any community which
prevail and always will render the
opportunities for saving and invest
ment poor. In the nature of teach
er's work the mind becomes unsuited
for the best work at an earlier
age than would apply in most other
professions. This is not because
the work is more eXhausting but
because of the demands made by
contract with the younger minds to
be taught.
At present in Minnesota the pen
sion systems of the cities already
III force form an additional infiu.
ence to draw the teachers away from
the smaller communities.
Teachers Favor Pension Law.
1t is believed that the teachers
who are in the work as a perma-
nent occupation generally favor some
form of pension law. while some of
those who are in only temporarily
oppose it. This, of course, on ac-
count of the required contribution
of salary. Young teachers are of
great value but if conditions are as
they should be and the teacher is of
the best this value will increase
with experience and the state can
well afford to lay premium in rela-
lively long service. Again it can