The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-17
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

We have kept silent during the furore
of the past ten days concerning the
School Board imbroiglio, and have
nothing to say about it now, except
that ifwomen were to deport themselves
in any official capacity, as one of our
Directors is reported to have done, that
men would say, and with much show of
reason, that women were too exeitable
for self-government But there is one
action of the School Board which the
daily papers have not deemed worthy of
consideration, although, if their editors
have read the New NORTHWEST one
half as carefully as we read their publi-
cations, they must have seen important
matter for public comment in connec-
tion with it. We allude TO tho fact, dis
graceful as it is, that the salaries Of the
men teachers, which were already
double those of the women, have been
raised five hundred dollars each, while
the neager pay OF the women teachers
has been allowed TO remain at its former
shabby figure.
A gentleman told us the other day
that he should hold us personally re-
sponsible for the derelictions of the
School Board, for if it had not been for
our journal, other gentlemen would
have been elected in place of the present
incumbents. This was news to us, but
whether it was true or not, it reminded
us of the following anecdote: After
Andy Johnson became President, and
when he began to show unmistakable |
evidence of Democratic proclivities, the /
Republicans, who had elected him Vice /
President, were very naturally incensed
at his breach of faith. a Republican
was one day engaged in hurting anathe- |
mas at the devoted Andy when Demo- |
crat blamed him severely for saying
such hard things of the President. |
said he: "You elected him; we didn't; |
and now you ought to defend him.
"Of course we elected him, !" sorrowfully
replied the first speaker, "and as Andy
johnson is OT dog, we have a perfect
right to punish him."
Now, gentleman, can you give us any
reason why you neglected to raise the
salaries of the women teachers at the
same time you advanced those of the
men? Don't you think w. L. Adams
told the truth when he said to one of
you that the lady teachers ought to
Danish you from town with brooms?
Don't you feel ashamed of yourselves.
Ell? Isn't it time you were taking
necessary steps to make reparation for
this fragrant injustice? And don't you
think the women teachers are entitled
to back pay? We know there is little
use in talking to you, for just so long as
women are political nonentities, they
can do little else than make politicians
feel uncomfortable, but as misery loves
company, this is some consolation; and
we also expect, by continual coming, to
weary the men until they are ready to
aVenge us Of our political adversary,
misrepresentation under heavy taxa
ton. The women teachers in our city
schools are taxed from twelve TO fifteen
hundred dollars per capita because of
their sex. Who but men are guilty |
ot this depreciation against Human
Rights? And if these men, our School
Directors, are indeed our property, they
must submit to this chastisement for
their own and woman's benefit.
What say you gentlemen? Will Won
raise the woman's salaries, eh? IL not. /
more anon.