Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-20
TEACHERS BILL
BEFORE SENATORS
Important Retirement Measure
Will Be Acted Upon by the
Upper House on Monday
WILL AFFECT THIS CITY
1t Is the Bill Drafted by the
Teachers and Would Provide
For a State System
WILL AFFECT THIS CITY

| Senator Tompkins' bill providing
ifor the retirement of superannuated
! and incapacitated school teachers on
| a pension, is to come up in the Sen
ate Monday night for final passage.
1t is certain to pass the upper branch.
There may be some opposition in the
/ House.
The proposed law creates a State
! board of retirement of five members,
to he named by the State superinten-
dent of public instruction Two of
the five members are to be women.
one member of the board must he a
classroom teacher Another must be
! and at least two members of the
board shall not be school teachers.
! When a man or woman has taught
school for thirty years. at least twen-
| ey years of which including the last
three years were spent in the schools
of Pennsylvania, he or she may ap-
/ ply for a pension. The amount to be
! paid would be equal TO one sixth of
| the average monthly salary that the
! teacher received during the one hun
! dred months taught, prior to the re-
| tirement. The premium annual pen
sion shall not exceed $500. The mini
mum is fixed as $256 per year.
! Teachers, who become i'll or per-
manently disabled would be eligible
| to receive a pension The teacher
would receive one-siXth of the aver
age monthly salary during the last
forty months preceding retirement,
multiplied by the number of years
the teacher has taught in the schools
of the United States The minimum
no less than thirty per cent. of the
! legal minimum salary nor more than
$TOO.
Former teachers who taught school
for thirty years, can apply for a pen
sion after June l. They would re-
ceive one-half of the allowance to
which he or she would otherwise be
entitled,
| Men and women are now teaching
| in the public schools and normal
schools of the State are to contribute
a portion of their monthly earnings to
the fund each year until 1885. From
then on the State will support the
fund entirely. \ teacher must reach
the age of sixty years before being
eligible for a pension.
During the period from 1915 TO
1920. the teacher would be assessed
four per cent of his or her salary;
1920 to 1925. three per cent; 1925 to
1880, two per cent, and from 1880 to
1885, one per cent. In no case is "A
teacher to pay more than $50 per year
during the first period or more than
$15 per year during the last period
Teachers, who give up the profess
sion, are to have their money re-
! funded with three per cent. interest
additional. If they return to the
school loom they are to pay ten per
cent. of their salary until they catch
! up with their original standing.
There is n proviso in the bill that
would permit the State retirement
board to permanently retire any
teacher, who has reached the age
of seventy years.
| The Tompkins bill, if it becomes a
law, would. supplant all local retire.
ment system such as is now in vogue
| in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton,
Harrisburg and other places.
/ DR.. Raymond w. Seis, of the Uni
IVersity of Pittsburgh, drafted the bill.
| 1t has the endorsement of the State
| Educational Association. The State
board of education has done nothing
| in the matter.
Senator Tompkins has heard of the
criticism that has been made against
| certain provisions of the measure.
| The teachers are not complaining:
its the insurance companies the
Cambria seator says.