The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-03-06

mary school might lack the elements Of SUGGEST
education Increasing the salaries OF the teacher
increases the emciency OF the schools by placips
..ea1s N, fss the
tent Of this bill Is carried out the trustees will
be able to place IN all our schools teachers that
viii &c an he, honor to the profession, permanent
We will also gain and not lose good teachers
as other occupations (only in comparatively few
posed In this bill for the teachers Of the primary
for work in this country is not over one dollar
we are told that they will seek other employ
ment when II is proposed to pay them or those
competent six hundred dollars each year, In
creasing hfty dollars annually for continuous
service to seven hundred dollars; again we are
informed that the grade should be reversed and
run the other way, T. g., the primary ought to be
tion, II Is stated that three dollars per evening
Is too much for teachers OF night schools, unless
some higher grade is intended than the primary
70 reduce the salaries of part of the teachers OF
intermediate schools three hundred and fifty dol.
twenty 1--we dollars each, making ali grades under
grammar schools Ave hundred dollars for each
teacher, with the annual increase hereafter OF
one hundred dollars to eight hundred dollars, the
maximum,
Would It be a judicious encouragement Of gen.
cral education; Will IT promote the intellectual
Improvement OF mankind, and increase the effi-
cheney Of our schools, to reduce the salaries OF
our faithful teachers In times like these, when
the prices o. nearly all necessary commodities
are SO much In advance Of what they were
formerly, and with the doubtful promise TO In.
crease their compensation hereafter, at a tiine
when perhaps the neoessarics OF lfc may and
VIII In all probability be much less than at
PRESENT.
II there is any time when the teachers ought
to be paid the high price, 1t is now that the cur
rent living expenses are so great, and not three
years hence, when, we trust, they will be much
less
~. -.
the overtasked laborers OF the day. The object
In paying these ample rcmunerations is to give
the pupils unable to attend the day schools In
structors as competent as those employed during
the day, and to place these schools upon a solid
basis, thus making them useful rather than use
less institutions. One ofthe teachers OF evening
schools e. competent man, has wife and three
children to support,) Is engaged three evenings
per week at one dollar for each evening. Reflect
moment upon this point at issue. Is 1t justice
or common humanity, that man OF liberal edu-
cation should be paid so small a sum In 50
bcnehcent an employment Or shall we presume
him recompensed IN his labor of love, by the
promotion OF his individual happiness In the
alluring consciousness OF the great benefit he Is
to those whose minds he seeks to improved tits
mcnt ought to be sufficiently paid, and not OBJ
pressed or driven to the most exncting economy.
work is unsppreciated, has not the power to
explain the lessons with credit TO himsel If or to
instruct his pupils properly.
the teachers to cqualize their salaries as far as
practicable, and to pay them as large compen-
sation as the treasury will admit. More than
this ought not to be asked. Less would be in
justice to the teachers; For the improvement of
society, for the happiness of our children, and
for the protection of life improperly, competent
teachers must be employed to awaken the desire
OF every intellect for mental cultivation, and the
facilities Of free education must be open to
the msthods
realize the importance Of their work, and have
the ability to impart knowledge in a manner en-
tertaining to the pupils.
The opinion OF most educators that the object
method OF Instruction Is best adapted to primary
schools Is without doubt correct, although this
plan Of communicating Intelligence Is new only
In Its application to the schools of the present
age. symbolic illustrations formed a part OF the
history OF the ancinpts, and was used BY their
philosophers In teaching the youth Of their day.
Still more recently 1t was advocated by Milton,
Locke, Fenelon, Dick, and others; and whea the
proposed normal school shall have been In sue
see the necessity Of adopting more fully the
illustrative code of impartiny knowledge.
1t Is evident that for the pecuniary relief OF
our teachers in our day and evening schools, and
as an act OF justice to those who MI so large a
place as benefsctorso Of mankind, with a full con-
Sep.ion Of the hiEhas, interest Of our children
Of mankind and for the harmonious develop
ment of the educational interest OF this city
some immed! ate action ought to be taken to pay
signed by Appleton p. CLARK, chairman S. S. |
Baker, John L. Pau, and II. II. Tilley.
On the Cd instant the Board proceeded to con-
slider the bill. The following is a synopsis OF the
iebate:
TO maintain and increase the efficiency OF the
public schools, y was without doubt one OF the
most Important measures ever brought before
he Board for Its consideration. 1t was subject
which required the broadcast and most generous
'reatnent, the greatest freedom from ali narrow
,eStaTitn or party views, and warranted the
could afford. There was no better time than the
PRESENT moment, NO more suspicious opportu-
,.Ssy than this eil osTSt to place the public
Upon such wise and comprehensive basis as
you'd make 1t the model system of the country. |
iity Years Of eSperfMont We had for modeIs
he systems of those states whose legislators |
isd Justly considered that the common schools |
liberty OF the land with such advantages OF |
and example, with all the garnered |
essons of the past, we should now come to the
generous forethought. We should lay wide and |
leep and strong the foundations Of our educa.
ional system. Let no narrow views of a short |
lighted economy cause us to dwarf and cramp |
he school system OF this city ut just such n |
'oint In its History when 1t needs more than It |
yer VIII hereafter generous and hearty appre-
II there was any one subject OF outlay into
which this city can afford to invest literally II
lon Of a large funded debt It is in placing our
public schools In the highest state OF efficiency,
II aifordng accommodation to every child who |
nay apply for admission, and In employing such
killed and Competent instructors that the edu.
alton OF our children may 10 q reality and not
hrce. This was an age OF progress, and II he
MIR. A J read the signs Alright II was not so much
n age of vast individual scholarship, In which
he student stands alone, head and shoulders
bOve the mass, AS OF the wide and general ditfu-
lon Of Intelligence. II was an age In which the
light OF tho Eumblest child In the community
4 recognized to a generous culture. 1t was the
dice of humanity that spoke, and not that |
II y privileged class. Let not or growing city
70 behind the times In this respect; let Us rather
e In advance OF them. There IL not u parent In
his city to-day who would not willingly double
lis school tax In order to afford to his children |
he advantages of magnificent school system.
Mr A. quoted from the twenty-sccOnd annual
eport OF the trustees of public schools of this
ity, page I, the following statement: " 1t is
act worthy of notice that while there is no
thcr department OF public expenditure In re.
nd fault-fIdiEgs from the taxpayers, the out
,y for building school hguses, for paying sala.
les for teachers and for INCREASING the facilities
Or instruction, Is always willingly and cheer.
ully met. Our rulers should, Therefore, feel
nd know that whatever else IL done or left UNI
one, this matter OF education cannot be neg
,cted, and that the people are far before them In
he knowledge OF what Is necessary for Its ad.
ancement.n
There Is no thinking man who does not at once
rcognize Its Buperlative claims upon his sup
nat VIC cannot afford to do justice to our schools
7 that the people Will not support US In so
ding.
with the spread of educ atIunal facilities with |