New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-17

that any member thereof, whether he
or she be superintendent or PLAN
teacher. shall be retired" but not
"pcn,ioned." However. whatever name
may be given for practical purposes
TO the specific process. all such re-
tired teachers become at once pension
eTs or annuitantS.
The first public school teachers pen
sion law was passed b. the New York
Legislature in 1894 and applied 20 the
teachers of the City Of New York. THIS
law. the first of its kind in the United
States, was due TO the forethought and
wisdom of an officer Of the New York
City Board of Education. who is still IN
active service, and 10 whom the begin
ming of many of the best innovations
7. in the Department OF Education can
usually be traced. The next year. 1890.
the board of the then City OF Brooklyn
obtained the passage Of bill Tor pen
siouing its teachers along similar,
though modified, lines. When the great
or city came into existence, on January
]. 1898. the pension funds OF the old
Citv Of New York and Of the former
City Of Brooklyn were merged. Al the
same time all Of those teachers who
were employed in the territories now
known as the boroughs Of Richmond
and Queens were included in the bene-
fits accruing from the existence OF a
pension fund.
The New York City Teachers Fund
il composed of q number Of items
which 20 10 make up its receipts. IN
the first place. an amount equivalent
/ to the unearned salaries of teachers
whose absences are not excused IS de-
posted in the fund at monthly inter-
walls. Secondly. | per cent IS deducted
from the salaries of the teaching ana
supervising force and IS deposited
monthly in the fund. I'm the third
place. 5 per cent Of the excise money
arising from the sale OF liquor etc"
I'm the City Of New York is annually
contributed by the city, IN lieu OF be-
ing deposited in the treasury IN re
duction OF taxation. In the fourth
place. all money or pay forfeited or
1 deducted as fines for derelictiOns on
+ the part of the teaching force are
placed in the same fund, as occasion
+ requires.
I'm this connection il is 10 be re-
marked that the receipts realized from
this source are insignificant. This
speaks well for the discipline main
tanned over the New York City school
teachers. In addition 10 the sums
mentioned. the interest collected OF
deposits and on bank balances and in
ves.meuts are also, az intervals, placed
in the fund.
While all Of these items represent
ways and means Of raising money for a
beneGcent purpose, the method OF doing
so is unscientifc, for the reason that
there does not exist fixed income
wherewith to meet fixed charge and
necessities. No one has ever claimed
that the New York City Schoo' Teach
crs' Pension Fund was scientifically
constructed. because the contrary view
De- so apparent. However. there has
always existed a feeling that. unless
the payment Of pensions was more OF
less attended by technical methods OF
raising money indirectly instead OF by
direct charges against the city budget
no bin could be passed through the
Legislature. The dcsirability and ne.
cessity for the payment OF pensions "a
teaclers are 50 well fixed IN the minds
OF thoughtful citizefs and taxpayers
that il is no longer necessary to resort