Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-08

. teachers OF Maine rests the RESPONSE
bility of moulding and shaping thei
destiny.
How important. when such dutie.
| rest upon them. that they be at thei
very best! None of us are at our bes
! when we are taking anxious though
as to what the morrow shall bring tt
us. 1t is no secret that the teachers
/ of Maine have in the past received
| scarcely a living wage for their ser
! vices, and such condition has caused
many an anxious though as to what
their declining years should hold for
them. Under such circumstances, men
! and women cannot give their best
/ selves to any work which they may
| attempt to perform.
have in mind an aged woman who
/ has taught in Maine for more than 40
| years. 1t is said that, during this
| time. more than 1900 Maine boys and
| girls have come under her care. She
| has taught in the rural schools and
| at low wage, barely sufficient to pro-
vide for her every day needs. None
of us need be told that much anxiety
as to what would become of her when
age should ineapaeitate her for SER
vice. has come to that woman, during
that 40 years. And when such anxiety
had fastened itself upon her she was
not at her best. and could not render
her very best services to those 1000
boys and girls.
There is nothing that tears one TO
pieces, and incapacitates him more
for service, than anxiety. on the con-
trarY. there is nothing that will better
equip one for service and give him
fuller control of his keeneSt faculties
than a positive assurance that the flu
ture shall not bring him to want. And
the pension bill. if passed. will serve
as a positive assurance TO tile teach
ers of Maine that they shall never
come to want and we believe that
this assurance Will be productive of a
greater efficiency in our schools
e. Our fourth reason for faVorinS
this hill is because it will aid in the
retirement of teachers, who have pass
ed Ntheir greatest sphere of useful
ness. 1t is not TO be denied that age.
If we get enough of it, will rob us of
our keenest faculties. This is especial
ly true concerning the teaching pro-
fession. and it is generally conceded
that too often teachers are allowed to
remain active. when the interests of
the schools would be best conserved
if they could be retired.
1t is right here. gentlemen. that one
of the strong arguments for this bill
comes in. The teachers of Maine are
poorly paid, and when, because of age,
they become partially incapacitated for
service. an embarrassing condition OBJ
tans. The best interests of the
schools demand that they be retired,
their financial condition demands that
they he retained There is little else
that they can do, they have become
subjects of charity. and are often re-
tanned much longer than is consistent
with the best interests of the schools.
A provision to retire such teachers on
a pension sufficient to insure them
from want will add immeasurahly to
the efficiency of our Maine schools.
). Another reason why We favor
teachers pensions is because favorable
reports come TO us from other states
wheres similar bills have been enacted.
The idea of teachers pensions is no
fad. 1t is no new thing. Twenty
states and ~ cities. today. pension
their teachers. Thirty per cent. of all
the students in the United States are
under some form of teachers pensions.
and whenever or wherever a pension
system has been adopted it has proven
successful and has never been repealed.
6. And the final reason why we seek
the passage of this bill is because we
want to give a slight reward of merit
to those teachers who have dedicated
and will dedicate the very best por-
tions of their lives to the cause of edu-
cation
This, gentlemen. is an after thought.
| had intended to confine my discus
sion of this bill entirely to the ques-
ton of efficiency in the public schools.
but somehow | feel that | would be
untrue to the duty embodied in the
privilege which is mine, did | not Of
fer just a word in behalf of justice.
We like to pay tribute where trib-
ute is due. We boast of our good men
and true. who heard their countrys
clarion call for help. and in quick re-
Spouse to that call fastened to the
Southland and offered themselves in
sacrifice upon the altar of their coun
try. And While YOU and I would not
rob those heroes who made that tre-
mendous sacrifice in behalf of civiliza-
ton Of a single 1.-THE which belongs
to them. while we would leave with
them all the honor which is theirs,
and rejoice that in a tangible way they
are receiving from the treasury of the
country which they sacrificed TO save
due reward for their service. we will
not forget that sacrifice and service
belong not TO the days of carnage and
bloodshed alone.
We will not forget that though the
lannon's roar and the clash of steel
are no longer heard. yet, the clarion
call is still sounding and true patriots
are still hearing summon to sacri-
flee and service in behalf of civilza-
ton.
And | submit to you, gentlemen, that
while we are rejoicing in the spirit
that prompts the nation to grant a fit
! ting reward to those heroes who gave
their four years service in the COS,
! we, as citizens of the old State of
| Maine, and members of this House,
| should summon 10 ourselves some of