The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-10-28
TEACHERS MAY
CONTINUED From, Page ons.1


Enlistment of a pensioning system
Miss Hill admitted that the board
members were not very much impress
ed with the ne Whore pension law
She incidentally remarked that Gov
ernor Ralston had refused to sign the
measure.
The pensioning system Of teachers
under the Moore law, she said, was
supposed to impose no burden upon
the taxpayers but did SO nevertheless.
In establishing a pension system the
pension fund would be created, as pro-
vided by law, by assessments levied
against the school teachers, ranging
from $40 to $25 year, according to
! the term of service Of each teacher.
If, for instance, teacher had served
fifteen years she would be assessed
$3.50 and for the next ten years at the
rate of SIS a year. paid annually. 1t is
estimated that to begin with fund of
approximately 100000 would be Great
ed. contributed entirely by the teach
ers. 1t is estimated that this fund
would be sufficient to compensate ev-
cry teacher eligible for retirement dur
ing the next fifteen years, with the
interest 1t would bear and the annual
contribution to it by the teachers. At
the end of fifteen years, however, it is
estimated, there would be. after all
teachers assessments had been paid
in. deficit of about $4,000. Under the
law this deficit would be provided for
out of the tuition fund, which is main
tanned by taxation
Law SeIf-Sustaining.
Pointing out that the pension-sys-
tenn would be self sustaining for at
least fifteen years and, after that,
could be maintained by very slight
increase in the school city tax levy,
Richmond teachers believe the board
would be perfectly justified in APPROX
ing the establishment of the system.
1t is understood. however. that the
board regards the pensions retired
teachers would receive Set, per an
mum after So years service. $500 per
annum after 40 years service. some
what excessive. The pension for forty
wears service is about seven-e1ghts or
the pay received by the grade teacher
for active service.
Mr.. Ramsey, on the other hand,
contends that the first beneficiarles
of a pension system In Richmond
would be teachers more than deserv-
ing of the high retirement compensa-
ton. Some of the veteran instructors
in the Richmond public schools, he
pointed out, began their careers on
salaries as ridiculously low as so Il
month, and that 1t has only been Ill
recent years that actual living wages
have been paid to the members or
his Indispensable profession.
Teachers Would Work.
"Perhaps the board think teachers
would promptly take advantage of
pension system by retiring as soon
as eligible to do so although. in many
instances, their terms of use. ulness
as educators might not be ended, Mr.
Ramsey remarked. Il do not believe
the board would have such situation
to deal with, however.
cat the present time there is one
teacher who has served over 1l1ty
wears, Miss Hannah NJ. Jones; two VINO
have served over forty years. MISS
Horney and Miss Sophia Marchant,
principal, and there are tWenty-seVen
teachers who, within fifteen years,
would be eligible to retire for having
served thirty-five years or longer.
Every one of these teachers have sig
nified a willingness to remain In &C
tive service SO long as they are physl-
cally able to work and while their
services are acceptable to the school
board. In fact, these teachers have
offered to give written guarantee to
this effect They declare that they
do not value pension system because
it offers an opportunity of avoiding
active service while they are physi-
callv able to work. They value the
pension system entirely because 1t
means sustenance for them in the
ovapt of disability OF removal from ac-
tive work for other causes. 1t means
for them, in other words, the elimina-
ton of further worry over what fate
holds in store for them in the twilight
of their lives