The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-06-26
Efforts Being Made to Make
Teachers Pensions More
Certain in the Future.
MAY PAY MORE MONEY
Legislature Working Along Lines to
Make Old Age Annuities for Teachers
Certain to Provide Proper Income
After Retirement Of Educators.


Certain to Provide Proper Income
After Retirement of Educators.
As has been said before, the ques-
ton of teachers pensions is more
prominently before this legislature at
this time than ever before, and it is
probable that in the closing days Of
this session some legislation will be
adopted which will at least prepare for
providing plans whereby the teachers
pension system shall be placed on an
actuarial basis and the contribution
which shall be required from teachers
will be placed at a sum which will in
sure the protection and an adequate
pension in their old age. The work
which Senator Howard Teasdale is do
ing on this teachers pension system
is worth more than passing note. Al
though the general impression is that
Mr.. Teasdale is not particularly friend
ly to teachers pensions and this is
possibly correct, the work he is doing
should be welcomed by all the teach
ers of the state for the reason that the
teachers pension fund must, if ade-
quate pensions are to be paid, be plac-
ed in such shape that there is no ques-
ton the protection expected is to be
given from the fund.
The teachers should want this, as
well as the state, for if they do not
desire it, they forget one very import
(which provides that in case with the
appropriation Of the state the fund is
not sufficient to care for the pensions
the pension fund will have to be pro
rata. Under existing conditions there
is no question that very soon this
pro rating will occur and as a result
teachers who retire expecting COM
potency for the remainder of their
lives will very probably discover that
their pension is mere pittance.
It is the old story which has been
one of the dreams of the century, that
of obtaining insurance for nothing.
There are certain impregnable insur-
ance laws. and they govern just as
thoroughly in pension systems as in any
other form of insurance and which
prove conclusively that something can
not be given for nothing in insurance
any more than in any other line. If
pensions are to be distributed on an
adequate basis there must be definite
payments both by the teachers and the
state in proportion to the liability.
This amount can easily be ascertain
ed and the fixed pension to be given
must be based on that liability.
It is true that the annuity system is
as yet to some extent in its infancy
and the tables upon which annuities
are based have not as yet been given
the trials which have been accorded
insurance tables. As a matter of fact,
however. these tables are fairly ac-
curate, far more accurate than the
present hit or miss system under which
the tables Of today are being drafted.
The report Of the actuaries in the IN
surance department. shows very plain
lv that some formula can be arranged
by which both the state and the
teachers can be protected in regard to
the cost of the fund. This table I'M
doubtedly shows that the teachers
payments must be much higher unless
the state contribution is greatly in
creased.
But the state, through the pension
system, will offer to teachers then an
insurance compensation in their old
age at much less figure than similar
insurance can be purchased from re-
liable old line companies and what IS
more. if the contract between the state
and the teachers as to tie amount OF
insurance is made more definite and
certain, the protection of the teachers
will be just as complete as if the pro-
lection were in an old line company.
Of course the teachers fear an IN
crease in the payments which will
have TO be made by them for the rea-
son that if the teacher does not teach
the required number of years before
receiving the pension the payments
under the law become forfeited and
as a general rule most teachers, es-
pecially women teachers, are not in
the earlier years Of their lives, when
the pension payments begin, at all
certain that their lives will be spent