Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-08-04
TEACHERS PAY AND POSITION.

The New. York SzA which is giving rnu ch
thoughtful attention 10 educational matters
errs IN setting down the pay of teachers In
W"sh'ngton as S1,26O for male teachers, and
SIS for Finale teachers per year, in its table
of salaries of teachers in all parts OF the conn
Try. That was about the rate OF pay here, bu;
II has been increased within q year past TO me
following figures; Salaries OF teachers of male
grammar schOols-SI ,6o0 per annum; increase
sc per annum to S1,SDI. Female grammar
SLIGO per annnm, increase $50 per annum to
Sl,2CO Male inteTmediate-Ss0O per anuumi
increase $50 per alIUm TO S10JO. Female inter-
modis,e-S~oO per annurG; increase $50 per an
mum to S9OO. Secondary-s70O per annum: in
crease $50 per annum TO $50 Primary-S550
per aInum: increase $50 per annum to $3.50
P-Imary-Graduates OF Normal schools or
teachers having 'high training" $3.50 per
aEnum; increase $50 per annum TO $3.50
Ey the Suns table il would seem that the
highest pay for men is si,OyO which Is received
by three teachers in Boston, and tue next high.
est, $500, is paid to twenty-six teachers in the
same place Women receive much less, and
their highest salary is as follows:-In ST.
Louis, s2,oOo; Boston, sl,0eO; San Francisco,
Sl,S0i Cincinnati, S1,O55; Chicago, sI,IOO
Louisville, $1,000, Buffalo, Sl,O75; Milwaukee,
500; Cleveland, $500, Toledo, $3.50; Newark,
sos; Detroit, S7tN. In 8 large number of osher
places the highest female salary is often less
than s5CO. In New York city, before the war
the highest salary for males was SI,5OO, and
about 500 for females. AT present il is S2,5O0
and $500 for males and SL60O and sI,7O1 for
females. This, with all the above figures, in
eIudes principals, of whom there are now 40
males and l3s females an that city, who have
taught from eight to fifteen years.
These figures are very curious in some
respects. They show that while Boston paws
its male Instructors most literally, it is tar
behind the West in its appreciation of women
Nearly all the large Western cities surpass it
IN this respect, including Buffalo and Louis
willie. New York stands third on the list,
while ST. Louis has the credit of taking the
lead in its appreciation of female educators
The proportion of women employed TO men
varies largely in different States. In Maine,
Massachusetts, New York, and most of the
large Western cities. the former largely pre-
dominate, in the first two instances the pro-
portion being eight 20 one. In Pennsylvania,
on the other hand, the difference is not so
great, and in West Virginia the men are In the
majority.
In Washington the female teachers predomi-
nate over the males 10 the extent of more than
fifteen to one; putting this city at the head of
the list IN its recognition OF he right OF women
X
The Sun says. very Justly, that in respect to
the Just OF teachers we are still far
behindhand III this country. Our educational
authorities are very slow in understanding
that the situation of i teacher Is one of the
most important in society, and should be re-
warded accordingly. Among the general pub
lie, also there prevails a feeling that the stand
ing of person is lowered by practising this
profession, and hence school instructors are
generally disregarded. and often spoken of
with contempt. This is all wrong, and we are
already seeing its evil results. Our best teach.
ers, finding their talents and labors are not ap
preciated, are entering other and better paid
Cstional Beecher, Chaplin, or Parker; and
Horace Mann is almost the only instance
OF an individual in this country gaining a
national reputation as an educator. But ne
did not keep school; he only wrote about it.
The great success OF our school system has
been from the natural aptitude of our teach
eTs, and in spite of their poor pay and insult.
ficient training. What We must do now is TO
elevate the profession To the rank il has taken
IN Prussia, and attach the highest honors to
those who practlse IL. There would then be
every inducement for persons of talent TO be.
come teachers, and the increased efficiency of
the system would compensate for the addition
al expense. In this, as in all occupations, a.the
IabOrer is worthy of his hire, and il is a dis
grace that credit has so long been denied 10 our
teachers for ther ability and usefulness.