Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-01-12
For the Spy.

In the Judgment of some people, the en-.
tire question of the proprieiy Of the conduct
! OF our present school committee, in reducing
| the salaries of teachers, which had been fixed
| by the former board, has not yet been present.
ed TO the public. The facts are briefly these 4:
The teachers of the permanent schools are
employed by the year, and the school year
commences on the first Monday in January.
The old teachers have been uniformly elected
and their salaries established by the retiring
board. the members Of which have learned BY
experience, their qualifications, and the value
Of their services.
The wisdom Of this regulation would seem
perfectly clear. How can newly chosen
committee have equal knowledge on the sub
Ject, with their predecessors, who. for twelve
months, have visited and examined the
schools
Are all the ordinary presumptions of life
reversed, and is the wisdom OF the sc'.ool
committee supposed to be greater in proper
ton as its experience is lesss
The board of last year re-e elected the teach
ers If it had failed to do so, it would have
neglected one of its important duties, and
justly incurred the censure of the community.
1t also established their salariee and in several
instances they were made higher than they
had previously been.
This increased compensation was not agree
able to the economical notions of portion of
the new board, and forthwith all attempt was
made to annul the action of their predeces.
sprs. AT first. the ground was taken, that the
election did dot occur until January, whereas
rule OF the board requires it to take place in
December, and therefore the reelection was
void
But it soon appeared that no reliance could
be placed on this bubble, which, Indeed, does
not rise to the dignity of technical objection,
for the rule is mere by law, subject at any
moment, to be set aside, and one OF which the
teachers were not bound TO take notice.
Moreover, by the same rule, wherever va.
cancies exist in any Of the schools, they NAV
be filled. and the compensation Of the teach
ers established at any time during the year
And as the year had expired for which the
teachers had b en- employed, the POSTPONE
ment of their re election, lett vacancies III all
the schools. which it was the duty of the last
board to fill. Their action VI as therefore
strictly legal, and constituted valid contract
with the teachers. binding in law and goud
faith upon the city of Worcester.
This argument was pressed upon the pres
ent board, and its force must have been felt.
for it was found necessary to resort to more
extreme expedient.
The school committee is, by statute author
~ s'l any teacn'
nronor ona c .ne sa'u ooinn',ee may mink
Si'u iVin the Tue tiine Oh sHch dismiss
nansa,ia ''"'ei sii"ii iecel'e no iur'ner con
fSi Au"a,l;.,. -,.-
al 49, ,nsllon was maze 70 dismiss
a., ''s IT, a"a ealiiea " large MAJOR
- veg ai'e'"aius le erected at re-
49, s',,ai'eS : nus uiscretlohafy power,
unuus.eu 70 me scnooi BOARD, that II might
aI LS al un"o'thy instructor mas been
! a a;.s ~ ene saAe OF avoiding lar and
oi ILL., contract.
.nuss sross inq'snlly mas 1een put on all
Jul teaSHetss eut Siie SAKE OF ueprlVIng lew