Norwich bulletin., 1914-05-13

hire the best of the graduates from our normal schools. Not all leave the state, I'm happy. to say. But why should we lose on account of salary or rich enough to retain in the state those teachers it has trained at pubic ex- pense.
 Reasons for Pension System. The situation in Connecticut shows that there are three good reasons for the maintenance of pension system for public school teachers.
 First, the state needs the system. Desirable teachers of education and training are scarce; the normal schools do not graduate enough teachers for the new positions; many of the bright est and strongest personalities take up business pursuits; the whole pension movement in the business world and in the teaching profession is an eco- homie measure; a direct pension sys- tenn would cover the entire state, from the smallest town to the largest city. convinced that the people of the state. outside of the teaching profession, ought to take the initiative in this pension movement.
 Second, the teachers need a pension system. Regarding teachers salaries,
 the report issued by the Russell-Sage Foundation in December, 1912, says: The average annual salary paid to public school teachers in the United
 States, as a whole, is $4S5. The fact
 that teachers wages are lower than those paid almost any other sort of
 service, means that, as a nation, we
 are neither asking nor getting, a high grade of service, and, as nation, that
 we place a low valuation on the teach ers' work"
 In Connecticut, for the year 1910, the average annual salary of all pub lie school teachers, including men and women in both elementary and high schools, was only s590.
 At the legislative sessions 1909 l.ld
 1911 the teachers pension bill received scant courtesy from the me!nl"r o. the legislature many of whom With
 more or less fervor, adHancef' tie stock
 argument that salaries .ou d ne raised so that tea, hers would be attracted ?.
 to the teaching 5rofessioT. Wei, the salaries have been raised-$3.3 .36 per
 month for women and sc.01 per month
 for men-but at the present time w.
 are unable to give even an approxim ate
 estimate of tn number of teachers slt-
 tracted CD to the pr .fessicn oy that salary-raise Doubtles- .uture cilror.i- cles vii. reveai the tragic 'uth.
 This matter of salary alon> ought to convince any Connect cut esislat,n . that the state is n duty bot m pas
 the entire cost of pensions. A few
 years ago an investigation disclosed
 the fact that only 250 teachers of the 5000 teachers then employed in this state had taught 50 years or ol er-o.liy
 5 per cent Under a compulsory as-
 sessment plan a teacher would stand about one chance in 20 of ever re ceiv-
 ing one cent in return for the money she had contributed.
 At three different legiSls tive sessions
 in this state, 1909. 1911, 1913 the Con-
 necticut State Teachers associa t on .n-
 troduced a bill calling for a direct
 state pension system on the n,n-as-
 sessn2ent plan and three times we have been defeated.
 Pension Systems.
 There are really only two systems
 for pensioning public sch JoI ea- ners-
 the assessment plan and the non-
 assessment plan. Which is he better plan? We do not know, but we ddvo-
 cate the straight pension-the n~ns
 assessment plan.
 We are in favor of a state system oi
 pensions, rather than a local system.
 A few rich towns and cities, after local
 agitation of the matter, might .ote to
 pension their veteran teachers. while
 the smal. towns, from which have come many of our leading business , men, scholars and statesmen, would be unable to do so. Under local systeni the pensions would vary amor the different towns and cities. and a spirit of rivalry, jealousy and unrest would be developed a condition pre- iudicia, to efficient work in the schools A state simplify all administrative features and extend it's benefits to every town in the state.
 Financial Aspect.
 Finally, why does the state hesitate to establish pension system for teachers? Not on account of the cosi of I maintenance, l trust. What does the
 state care about 25 or 30 thousand dol lars, annually, for a movement that will promote the cause of educa ion? We believe that the chief reason tor voting down the rension bill years ago was the fear on the part of some that teachers pension system would be
 an entering wedge for genera, pen sions. All that We can say in reply to that is this: In all the states and cities in this country in which a teachers pension system has been established there has been no concerted effort to extend the pension idea into other fields of public service. Public school teachers occupy a unique position In | this country, no parallel being found. What is the outlook? Better than ever before. At the last session of the legislature the house and senate passe,i our pension bill almost unanimously. Not seeing his way clear to make any discrimination, Governor Baldwin -ve- toeu the pension bill in connection with several other bills calling for large
 state appropriations. But the fact
 that our bill passed both houses with
 but little opposition is an indication that the people of the state are in fa- vof of a teachers pension bill. We do not doubt that the members of the Ieg- tsiature inc voting for the bill repre- scented their constituencies
 Il have presented to you as best l could the situation and outlook con- corning pensions in this state, What are y6u going to do about it? Carry
 on a campaign of education, I trust. in every town and city In this section, not as a personal matter. but as a public
 matter. Ask your politicians and busi-
 ness men why Connecticut dees net fall inte line with eur adjoining states. Ask your principals and super'atend- eRts te take mere active interest in
 the pension movement Seek the as- sistance of the public press, and urge your boards of school visitors to take definite action on the matter.
 Couauaen PIeae Racket E,IIeJ