The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1876-02-24
WHY ARE TEACHERS WAGES so HIGH?

breadth of the land. The spectre of big
salaries haunts every annual school meeting,
and all sorts of resolutions are proposed
and adopted in the vain hope 10 lay this
troublesome ghost; Int it comes again and
again.
Viewed from our standpoint, the follow
ing Is comprehensive answer to this vexed
question: 1t is because any man thoroughly
qualified to teach common district school
as j: ought to be taught, is equally qualified
to take responsible and lucrative positions
in other kinds of business. A good teach.
er must lie uide- a,zaae man, and such
men are wanted el>ewhere; a good teacher
must be an honest man, and honest men are
in demand now adays; good teacher must
be q persistent man, and rersistency wins
as surely in any other profession es in
teaching. Under such circumstances it will
be readily seen that man will rot engage
in teaching, unless he Gun make it bring him
about as many dollars and cents as any
other business in which he may engage.
These are fundamental propositions; but
there is another reason not less potent which
is generally overlooked By those who hold
the remedy in their hands. There IL, In
nearly every school district, class of
grumblcrs who seem to feeli a duty to make
the teachers work ss onerous, unpleasant
and Improbable as possible. They seldom
or never enter the school room, but are as
profuse with their CON ments as if they were
familiar with every detail. They criticise
III unmeasured terms everything done, and
very much which Is never done or even
thought Of. Tie disciI line Of the school,
dealing with some refractory pupil, the reg.
ulat'cns respecting absence and tardiness,
the manner of conducting Rotations, the
language and conduct Of the teacher, in short
everything done or attempted is pronounced
wrong, useless, ronsensical, uncalIed for or
absolutely tyrrunnicnl by some one. In
many instances these fault finders intend 10
harm; but children are quite too ready to
take advantage of seeming support in any
matter in which they and the teacher may
b. ut variance, and the teachers turdens are
largely augmented, while at the same time
his usefulness is materially diminished
thereby.
| We state it as fact, and fear no contra
CIctlon from any successful te: cher, the,
the 9orrying caused by just this means is
moro burdeusome and wears more heavily
mate work the teacher hns to do. 1t is O
notable fact that teachers, as a rule, grow
prematurely old; the cause is as statet
above; and just so long as this condition oil
affairs cxists, tax payers will be obliged t
! pay for it OF 60 without schools, or worse
still endure those which are poorly con
Quoted Efficient teachers are not those
who work for the public at salari,s smaller
than they can earn in other kinds OF bust
ness less trying to the nerves.
1t is cou parativeiy nm easy matter to fnc
some one ready to undertake the task o
managing score or twenty score of boyl
and g'rls; but to get IL teacher, one worth,
of the name ,one who has both the heart ant
head, one who has learned by bitter exper
fence what every successful teacher mus
learn in just TINT way, and can learn in M
other, is quite a different thing. Sncf
teachers are not plentiful, and the suppl,
cannot he increased by resolutions o. schoo
meetings or school boards. 1t is Will
teachers as with other commodities; her
the demand exceeds the supply, high price,
prevail. Unfortunately, in this particular
case. the demand is increasing from year t.
year, and the supply is falling off. Many
men engage in teaching every year it is true
! men of ability, men who would honor tn,
profession: tut harrassed in Just tba
quarter from which they had reasonably e,
pected the most cordial support and luret
! ty promises Of greater rewards in Law
Medicine. Trade or Agriculture, they leave
/ the work Of Education to other hands
This depletion in the ranks OF cur bes
! teachers is the prime cause of high saa-
ries
! Where will It end? This is pertiner
question, but one which we have no spac,
to consider at present. Nevertheless, We
/ commend it to the earnest consideration Of
those thoughtful advocates of our presen,
.chool system, who are taxed to pay TO,
the privilege which constitutional grumber.
choose to take, In pecuniary Point oil
view, the case as i, row stands ought t,
! be very satisfactory one to teachers; but
other people may view it in quite another
light.
We are informed that Mr. Inhr NJ D..