Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-28
Association Gathers at Atlantic
City for sixtieth Annual
Session.
EQUAL SUFFRAGE TO BE
ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES
One Faction Plans to Oethrone
Miss Elizabeth Allen, as
President.


ppened here this afternoon. II will
close Wednesday. Hudson county
teachers are in the majority, with the
Essex representatives a close second.
An informal reception will be held
mis- evening at the Hotel Denis, be-
Ginning at g o'clock, after which re-
frashments will be served. Impromptu
addresses will be made by Mrs
william shapman Douglass, Of Jer-
sev City. representing the state Fed
ration of women's clubs, who viii
tell why New Jersey ought to have
a college for women.
Sessions of the convention viii be
continued tomorrow morning. after
noon and evening. on Neunesuay
morning there will be departmental
congsrances from $50 to HIS
o'clock and a business meeting at
fTg0 o'clock. All sessions will be
reid in the high school auditorium,
r-fth the exception Of the depart
mental conferences.
Today's program follows.
Music. Atlantic City High School
orchestra.
America" the assembly, led by
Powell G. Fithian.
Invocation, REV. E1eHES NJ 1NSAiOAi'
d. D., Atlantic City.
Address of welcome, Superintendent
Charles B. Boyer, of Atlantic City.
Response, the president.
Music. the assembly, led by Mr..
address. THE Situation as Regards
the Teacher" Calvin n. Kendall
commissioner Of education for New
address. Charles P. Taylor. presi-
dent Newark board of education,
president State FEDERATION OF school
Music, Atlantic City High School
address. William nc. schauffler
president State board Of education.
The general topic to be discussed
by Presidents Taylor and Schauffier
- "Co-operation Between the State
Federation of School Boards, the
state Board Of Education, the De
partment of Public instruction, and
the New Jersey State Teachers AS
ISOLATION
Music, Atlantic City High School
orchestra
Selection OF members of nominal
ing committee.
President TayIor's Address in Part.
HEeSluenl IdyAoi SPOho IA pa as
follows:
zone of the important reasons for
the federation of all local school
boards was the fact that our legtsla-
tive sessions are attended by large
numbers of school teachers, busying
themselves with legislative matters
affecting the State school system.
No doubt, some of the proposed laws
are good ones. and should be placed
on our statute books. 1t is equally
true, however, that many of the
legislative acts are unfortunate and
exceedingly detrimental to the edu-
cational system of the State. 1t
must be remembered that the Ry-
erage member of a Legislature is not
familiar with the many ramificattons
and details that enter into the opera
ton of our public schools. They,
therefore, are seldom in a position to
Judge as to the wisdom of the law
they are asked to favor. This being
true, it would seem desirable that all
of those organizations, as well as In
dividuals, that are particularly inter
ested in educating the boys and girls
Of the State, should meet and pass
Judgment on all proposed legislation
before it is presented TO the legisla-
tive body for action. The & 1t NUM-
Der of schemes which are proposed Us
noney-raising ventures for school
purposes and the many schemes for
the diversion Of school moneys in
other channels are calculated to up
set the finances of our school system
to such an extent as to render the
carrying out of important measures
exceed ely difficult.
Again. the teachers feel that 1t Is
necessary for them to visit the Leg
islature in the interests Of some law
N which they are personally inter.
osted. Now, we have no objections
70 teachers making their wants
known, either to their own board or
Ihe State authorities, and, If neces-
sary, the Legislature, but we believe
that every legitimate need of the
teacher win be recognized by every
board Of education, as we'll as tho
members of the Legislature.
ON the other hand, we are con-
fronted with d law that says that
boards Of education shall not remove
teachers except upon written
charges, whlch must be proven be.
fore any action can be taken against
The teacher. Boards of education
have no objections to the submits
sion of written charges, or TO pub
lie trials, or to the teacher being rep
resented by counsel, but the great
crime of inefficiency, the facts OF
which are almost impossible to prove,
is the one element that should not
come under such a law, as the stand
ard for inefficiency Is the subject OF
a wide difference Of opinion, and bor-
der-hne cases Of inefficlencyc ould not
be established. AS a result, there
fore, the whole system is severely in
jured by the presence of a number
Of teachers whose interests and en-
ergy, and general ability have been
permitted to ebb until some of them
have resolved themselves into the
proverbial drone.
THE thirty dve-year pension law
now authorizes the state TO pay pen
sions to four different classes Of
teachers who have served in her
schools for different periods Of time
with a total experience of at least
iiirty-fve years. The principle en-
bodied In the law is a sound one.
The emolument Of the teacher is in
adequate in view Of the long and
ardIous preparation and the public
eervice of the teacher. 1t is now uni
srsally acknowledged that the work
II the public school teacher is nee
Bsary to the preservation Of the
state, hence there is an obligation
8taced upon the State. She is but
doing what some European countries
iave done in simple justice to Its
teachers. The pension is an added
iflducement to able and well qualified
persons to enter the profession of thu
educator 1t is provision for old ag'
that the salaries of teachers do no
permit them to make. The public &C
cepts the burden and school boards
are in sympathy with this action o
The state. 1t does not seem right, how
ever, that the teachers should hav'
TWO pensions. Boards of education d.
not see the Justice of this. The cit!
Of Newark, before there was pen
-. lnn ,,rnuided for. annna of her In