New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-14
FLAW THREATENS
PENSIONS OF 2O3
In TEACHER FUND
Women Who Drank Cock
tails While on Duty
Among Those Retired,
"VICIOUS PADDING"
SAYS PRENDERGAST
Grants Since September l, 1918
Illegal, While Those from
1910 in Doubt.

Every pension granted to a schooi
teacher since September l, 1919 mas
heen illegal. Two hundred and three
former members Of the city's teaching
force face the possibility OF losing
their pension for this reason. IRE
sumably the greater number OF them
arc dependent, in whole or part, on
their pensions.
There is not the slightest doubt that
these pensions have been granted IN
violation Of the law. but the Pension
Commission goes further and states
that all the 6s4 pensions allowed since
1910 are open TO serious legal doubt. 1t
was in that year that the annual in
come OF the now concededly bankrupt
fund fell below the disbursements for
the year.
"Vicious methods Of padding the PEN
sion rolls" is the phrase used by Con-
troller Prendergast in describing the
way in which the number Of pensioners
has been increased.
woman teacher who admitted that
she had had cocktails in a nearby drug
store during school hours and had car
ried a flask of liquor into her class
room was permitted to retire on a pen
sion Of S606.66 year. The euphemlsuc
term used in stating the cause of re-
tirement was nervous insuficiency.
This cause was frequently given in re-
tirements.
Marriage Followed Pension.
There was another case where a
woman who wanted TO retire because OF
deafness was practically advised by
William H. Maxwell, Superintendent OF
Schools. to remain in the service nearly
another year in order that she might
get a larger pension. Two days after
her retirement this teacher was mar
ried. All of which led the Controller to
make this remark yesterday:
81 know personally of number OF
other cases where teachers retired for
disability have married. Either they
should not have been retired or we
need a eugenic law in this state"
A lawyer said last night there was a
saving clause in the law which might
be held to protect partially the teach,
ers to whom pensions were granted
after the fund had failed 20 meet the
annual requirements in 1910.
"The number Of persons retired IN
any one wear shall be so Limited that
the entire amount Of the annuues shall
not be i'm excess of the estimated
amount of the retirement fund ap-
plicable to the payment Of annultles
for that year"
at seems 10 me that the word 'esti-
mated protects the Board of Education
and the teachers this lawyer said.
"The commissioners in estimating the
amount Of the income may have used
bad judgment, but l do not believe
that IN doing that they violated the
law"
THIS is not the opinion held by Con-
troller PrcnderCast, however.
AS for the situation since 1918, the
Pension Commission says:
"Onlv by borrowing $1,000 Of the
next years excise taxes and by delay
ing the payment of refunds and abb
sence reductions has the fund been
able to pay pensions in full. Had the
Board Of Education discontinued addi-
tional retircments in September, 1913,
as il was required 10 DO by law, the
fund would have been ample without
anticipation of future revenues and
delay of current obligations TO meet
the monthly pension payments, and no
reduction Of pensions would have been
necessary