Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-11-14
STATE TEACHERS IN
S|XTY-FOURTH MEET
MORE THAN 1000 MEMBERS OF
STATE ASSOCIATION ATTEND
MILWAUKEE CONVENTION.
OFFICERS ARE ELECTED
M. c. Potter, Milwaukee, Chosen Pres
ident-H. o. Pritchett, Carnegie
Foundation Head, Declares
Pension Law Defective.

Enlightened because of
having heard modern educational
problems discussed by some Of the
countrys foremost educators, more
than 1000 members of the Wisconsin
Teachers association closed their
sixty-fourth annual convention held
here. In instructive benefit to the
teachers and in attendance, the con-
vention has been the most successful
ever held.
The features of the convention were
addresses by Mary Montessori, found
er of the Montessori method of
teaching, and Henry S. Pritchett, pres
ident of the Carnegie foundation for
the advancement of teaching. Both
meetings were held in the main arena
of the Auditorium.
That the Wisconsin pension system
for teachers is one of the most de-
fective in the country was the declara-
ton of DR.. Pritchett, who spoke on
What Is a Pension System For?"
THE first great WEAKNESS of the
Wisconsin pension system is that 1t
offers retirement to teachers after
twenty-five years of service. Since the
majority of teachers enter service be-
tween the ages of 20 and 25, those
who become eligible under this provi-
sion may retire between the ages of
As and so. Not only is the cost of
pension under such conditions I'M
bearable, but the notion that teachers
have earned the right to retire at any
such age is wholly to be condemned.
1.-The state of Wisconsin pays out at
the present time between 100000
and $10,000,000 year for the salaries
of teachers. To carry pension sys-
TEN of a satisfactory kind will cost
the state somewhere between 5 and 8
per cent of this outlay-$450,00 to
100000. The cost to teachers will be
approximately the same, resulting in
pension of half of the active pay re-
ceived during the latter part of the
teachers service"
William "A. Writ, superintendent of
Gary, Ind, public schools, speaking be-
fore a general meeting, declared that
motherhood is being imposed upon
and children neglected.
Cities have never been good
place to rear children and are worse
now than a generation ago. Put the
children under school supervision for
longer period thereby relieving
mothers and lessening the dangers
which beset them in our cities"
That the country school has been
the football of petty politics" was
the statement of w. X. Tate, professor
OF rural education at the Peabody col
lege, Nashville, in his address on Re
cent Achievements in Rural Educa-
ton" He told teachers that the only
way to make the country school more
than a makeshift is to divorce educa-
ton from politics. The first goal, he
said, is to render stable the admins
tration and supervision of the rural
school The 3ecCnd goal, he outlined,
is ample and continued financial sup
port"
L. D. Coffman, dean of the depart
ment of education, University of Min
nesota, spoke IT the general meeting
on Secondary Education"
THE greatest achievement of the
last century is the retention in school
Of four children out of every ten, to
16 years Of age and one child in every
ten, under 10 years, in our high
schools.
A resolution was framed by the ply
steal education section against the
substitution of military for physical
training in the public school. M. c.
Potter denounced the attempt of the
war department to establish military
training in public schools as a direct
evasion of responsibility.
Officers elected by the association
for the ensuing year are: President,
M. c. Potter, Milwaukee; vice-presi-
dents, Charles A. Jahr, Elkhorn;
Frances Bammach, Stevens Point; E.
F. Neverman, New Richmond; treas
urer, G. f. LOOMS, Waukesha.
So that Milwaukee would not be too
heavily represented on the executive
board, Gustav Tiefenthaler, MiIwau-
kee, resigned in favor of l.. S. Kelley,
Mayville, following Mr.. Potter's cleo
tion as president.