The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-27
The Proposed Reduction OF Teachers
Salaries In tho Public sehools-Its
Dan0era.

Dangers.
We have had many alluring projects brought
before us in the interest of what is called
reform. The profigate expenditure and
wholesale robbery of the Tammany chiefs
seem to have suggested that economy was the
widest meaning reform could have. The
brigand of Tammany, who, while filling his
own pockets by jobs and thefts, quartered all
his retainers n.the Treasury, became in the
eyes of ''reformers' the entity with all his
belongings to be annihilated. More than this,
the victorious reformer had his own retainers
to quarter, even if we admit that he had no
designs of his own upon the peoples money.
The first impulse on all sides was to
economize on the original accounts but
we see already that the soft places were
not SO much warred upon as the
Woodworking situations. We remember,
for instance, that the poor women who toll as
cleaners of the Court House had their
wages locked for Christmas Day. The mis-
cradle charwoman who scrubs the floors that
politicians spit upon must not expect to be
paid for such an unpolitical feast as Christmas
Day. Now, we find that while the booming
ward politician can have his place and his
monthly check, the reformers appear resolved
to cut down the salaries of the school teachers.
Before entering further into this matter we
wish to impress upon the School Commission
ers that this sham parsimony is not what we
or the people meant by reform. To cut down
illegitimate expenses is what we all demand
but in pretended fury for cheap administra-
ton to run the government and its aids into
beggarly meanness Is something which the
Empire City can neither afford nor tolerate.
The sufficient education of the young on
broad and unsectarian principles is the object
for which the public schools have been Gre
ated Quarrels over the matter to be taught
bigotry of the sects and the principal material
fact deducible from these quarrels has been
the increase of private or UNCONVENTIONAL
schools 1t is the wish of every patriotic citi-
zen that the schools of the State should pre-
sent as few objections as possible to parents
sending their children thither. The sectarian
question has been hitherto the main battle
ground of the DIRECTORS but the proposed
action of the Commissioners in reducing the
teachers salaries would interpose another
and, as we believe, graver question. few
words will explain what we mean.
While many parents whose children take
advantage of the public schools are satisfied
to let their offspring get their religion from
home or church sources, there are none who
would be willing to allow the smallest faint OF
anything that has the suspicion Of immortality
breathe upon the young minds of that part OF
the growing generation in which they are
most interested. We do not believe it will
take much to show that the effect of any re-
duction of the salaries of teachers will be
otherwise than immoral. The male teachers
are not paid too much, but the female teachers
are only paid about half of that amount.
Thus Of the large body of female teachers the
wages are little over ten dollars a week.
Women Of intelligence, education and taste,
possessing rare qualities of frmness,
tact and patience are required to fill the con-
ditions of the lowest ranks. On their small
wages it is necessary to feed, lodge and clothe
themselves. When they have fulfilled all the
conditions of their position, and their present
wages are put in the balance it will be found
that the house servant hired at Castle Garden
has large pecuniary advantage over her edu-
Gated and refined sister, The female school
teacher must dress decently, that is, well
enough to distinguish her from the chamber
maid of her boarding house; and at the
present rate OF remuneration we must only
wonder how it is possible. That it would be
impossible with any reduction is much more
easy to understand. There is no use, when
social problem is before us, to mince matters.
To reduce the wages of the poor school teacher
Fifteen per cent is the proposition, we believe)
is to expose her to every temptation that
the world offers to dishonesty, to unchastity.
To know female school teacher would then
be to know young, intelligent, educated
woman-most probably a well favored one,
whose legitimate means of support fell far
short of her necessities. Does this need com
ment? Is it the wish of the parents of New
York that those who are the instructors of
their children should occupy this questionable
position? We put it in this light so that the
question shall appeal to every parent from its
most selfish side. In protecting the honor of
these useful women we perform a high act in
itself Will the Commissioners of Education,
in pursuance OF picayune policy, be allowed
to reduce these women's wages to create
danger not only to them but to those
whom they must teach? From the util-
ity of the labors of these women we
see no reason why they should not
be equalized in point Of remuneration with
the male teachers. The salaries Of the latter
are not too high, and why should the
female teacher who does as much work receive
a less amount? Any attempt to reduce the