The Penn's Grove record., 1919-01-03
Alleged Threatened Bankrupt,
of Retirement Fund Causes
Tense Situation.
PLAN PENSION BETTERMENTS
Head Of Commission Hearing FiremeI
Tells Of Proposed Legislation for Their
6eneht-incIudes Insurance Safe
guard-Must Serve 20 Years

4itlltOH. -AllLiOuSu ADMITTING Una
there is need of some sort of a read
1ustment that would prevent the ulti
mate disaster Of bankruptcy Of thetl
fund, members of the State Teachers
Association in their annual convention
at Atlantic City frowned upon effort,
to merge their retirement fund Will
the state pension fund along the line,
framed by the PierSon Commission, ap
pointed by the legislature to investi
gate the entire scheme Of pensions
where the state Is interested. Unless
there Is a radical change in the pres
ent attitude of the teachers there vii
be vigorous opposition when the Pier
SOD Commission recommendations are
put before the legislature. Although
no discussion occurred on the floor Of
the convention In the official sessions
free and frank opposition was eyidenr
In the group meetings before and aftel
the sessions
I'VE are told by experts that our re
tirement fund Is unsafe declared
Henry n. Gresham OF Egg Harbop
president of the association, in his an
nual address. This momentous prob
lem can no longer be avoided. But the
question should be treated with the ut
most caution md care. If there Is tc
be q change this should not be permit
ted until there has been a most ex
haustive consideration of any amend
meptS that NAV be offered
Must Servo Twenty Yeara-
The most Objectionable feature OF
the present system appears to be thai
no teacher Is eligible to a pension until
after having completed 20 years serv.
ice as q membe.% - the retirement fund
or paid into the treasury OF the fund a
sum equivalent to 20 years dues. This
provision automatically eliminates from
benefits such teachers as may quit the
service for any reason before 20 years
no matter how long they may have
been paying dues, which are worked
out on a percentage Of their monthly
salaries. The Bureau of Research of
the New Jersey State Chamber OF
Commerce, following an investigation
carried on by its experts, has branded
the teachers pension system as IN
sound and close TO the rocks of bank
ruptcy.
The question of salary increases in
order to maintain and attract a high
personnel into the profession Is an
other problem that is agitating the
convention, and President Gresham
urged the teachers to become more
practical and get away from the ideal
ism" that has made them poor finan-
ciers." He urged them t. magnify
your calling" until L the finan-
cial consideration it merits.
Greater emphasis on physical train
ing was advocated by DR.. F. W. Marc
ney, state director of physical educa-
ton and hygiene. He asserted that
mere education amounts to nothing
without physical health commensurate
with the mental efficiency. THE fell
low who plays football and has his
nose rubbed in the mud a few times or
gets kicked on the ShinS and then
the boy who takes the hard knocks
of the athletic field and comes up smil-
ing-has learned a lesson in sports
m~anship, loyalty to his team and conf
dence that will enable him to tackle
the problems of late. life with the
same spirit. Mere classroom work can
never serve as a substitute.
we have too long been viewing
health as something that concerns only
the other fellow instead of ourselves
as well. We have been guided by old
fogey ideals that must be changed ana
broadened. The time is now ripe for
the change" he said.
New Foundation for Education.
DR.. Underwood Cochran, assembly
man from Atlantic county, who well
coined the convention TO the resort, de-
clared the old education structure
must be raised and a new foundation
built that will permit of engagements
as the future demands. "In this foun-
dalton there should be four corner
stones-frSt, compulsory education
second, Americanism; third, compul-
sorry physical training, and fourth, spir-
itual development" he declared. phys
ical training can accomplish all that
compulsory military training would
bring about. The biggest problem in
our army training camps vas that of
seasoning the men for the rigors of
war. 1t took more time to make them
physically fit than 1t did to. acquaint
them with the military tactics neces-
sary to carry out a successful cam
paign."
Assemblyman Cochran received warm
approval from the convention when he
said that a secretary of education
should be a new addition to the Presi-
dents cabinet and urged the adoption
of a resolution by the convention Nll-
ing upon the state legislature t. adopt
a measure requesting this new port
folio and, with Jersey taking the lead,
start a nationwide campaign for the
office.
Urges Single Pension Fund.
In a report made public following its
disclosures as TO the various funds for
the retirement of teachers in New Ter