Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1909 — Teachers! Have You Drawn Your Pay Yet? [ARTICLE]

Teachers! Have You Drawn Your Pay Yet?

Indianapolis News, March 19th— Attorney-General Bingham has delivered to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Robert J. Aley a blank form to be used as a kind of promissory note to be delivered to public school teachers who can not receive pay for all or part of the school terms just closing because of the deficiency fund to provide for payment of public school expenses, where the local» levy is not sufficient to provide a 120-day or 140-day term, has been'exhausted. Mr. Aley has received requisitions from township trustees to the amount of $36,449.67 which can not be honored.

There is no menas of determining how many teachers will not be able to collect their money, nor of telling what sums they will lose temporarily. The purpose of the blank forms to be Issued is to enable the trustees to issue certificates of security to the teachers which shall draw 6 per cent, interest until paid by the state. Mr. Aley said he believed the certificates could be used as collateral by the teachers.

The certificates were made necessary because in the case of townships where the trustees sent in their requisitions too late to get a part of the deficiency fund there is no money anywhere to pay the teachers. Mr. Aley has held a conference with Governor Marshall on the subject and has obtkined the Governor’s assurance that he will seek to have passed by the General Assembly of 1911 a special appropriation ordinance to redeem the certificates. .All the remaining State officers whom Mr. Aley has consulted have promised their support in the movement. It is estimated that a special appropriation of $40,000 will redeem all of the certificates it will be necessary to issue. What to do concerning the question for the school year beginning next September is a problem the State Board of Education will be compelled to solve in the meanwhile. The tax levies for the 1909-1810 school year have been made, and next year will likely afford a situation like the present unless provision is made In time. It is probable that school terms .next year will be cut to l? 0 days. By limiting the terms to that length, Mr. Aley believes the present law will be sufficient.