The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-20

School. Teachers OF the lower grades and lady
salaries II would be perfect shame to disturb tne
present equilibrium =
But they resolved to disturb the equili-
brium-eleven to eight-even at the fearful
risk Of being by and by compelled to pay
fair wages to the lady principals of the
second class.
At no point in the contact between the
sexes does the conduct of man appear so
dshonorable as at that which involves the
question of womens wages. All over this
land-it is q shameful record to make
women teachers are paid about one-half as
much as men teachers for doing the same
work and doing it just as well
single instance that comes within our
personal knowledge:-A year ago a man re-
signed his situation as professor in one of
the Chicago schools. His salary was $2200.
Five young men and one young woman ap-
piled for the vacancy. After q severe exami-
mutton in all the branches involved, the
woman was found to be the most completely
qualified, and won the place over all her COM
petitors. She stands in her predecessors
place to- day, doing his work as acceptably as
he did; and she receives a salary of $1,000
$1,000 less than he Either of the men whom
she distanced in the examination would have
received $4,000 salary, and one of them would
have gained the place if she had not been a
candidate. And the Board deliberately says
to her, Here. You are better qualified than
either of these young men; but we will pay
you $1,000 less She is a lady Of culture,
taste, ard ability; of manifold and unusual
requirements; and she knows how to COM
mand order, and how to convey instruction.
This is only one of scores Of cases in the
city and tens of thousands in the country
The revelation of such injustice is enough to
make every white man blush. What reason
is there, nay, what excuse is there, for the
unmanly discrimination How can men,
Der of School Board hold up his head in the
community while robbing a woman of a
thousand dollars because she is weak, and
giving it to man because he is strong?
1t is argued by some that women teachers
! do not do as much as men. This is paltry
evasion. In many cases they do quite as
much and do it as we'll; nay, in some cases.,
they do more, and do it better-and they al
ways receive less pay for doing it. Every
member of the Chicago School Board knows
this perfectly well. 1t will not be denied by
anybody familiar with the facts.
''Well, but, says conservative, "a man
OugM to have more than a woman for doing
the same work, because he is compelled to
support family, and she is unmarried
! The reply is, first how does anybody know
this which is so oracularly stated? The fact
is that some of the women teachers are
mothers, while many of the men are bache-
lors. But, secondly, the pretence is subter.
fuge. Nowhere in the world of work are mer
paid according to the families they have te
support. Does any carpenter, tailor, banker
ask his journeyman or clerk how many chill
dren he has, as basis for wages to be paid
Is it fact that tax is deliberately laid OIL
celibacy and large premium offered pc,
capita for children?
Excuses for such an abomination are hol
low. Defense is impossible Justification is
roguery. 1t is about the meanest form of the
oppression of the one sex by the other that
has appeared since our cowardly progenitol
tried to make his wife responsible for his own
transgressions. 1t is undisguised, unblush
ing, unpardonable piracy, and there ought to
be manliness enough left in Chicago tc
! abolish it,