The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-06-14
IS 61)t5yG3n1
SALARIES OF TEACHERS.

When a community can find no
other means of economiZing, except by
reducing the salaries Of it's teachers, it
must be brought to great straits. 1t
was recently proposed in New York
City to take $4,000 from the amount
paid it's teachers. The people of this
city know that no class Of persons, III
the employ Of the public, does more
seryiceable work than the teachers OF
her schools. Why is it then that the |
teachers salaries are singled out as the
first to be attacked, when retrench-
ment begins ? Other ofice-holders,
doing next to nothing for the public
good, receive twice the snm of money
paid to any principal of any city
school, but no one says they get too
much. Why is this The cause is,
primarily, found in the fact that the
number Of teachers is greatly in excess
of the demand, and also the people
generally do not know the difference|
between q good school and q poor one.
If a school is orderly and joys along in
the Well-worn ruts, it satisfies It's
patrons, for the quality Of it's instruc-
tion is seldom examined. The people
are contented as long as they are not
troubled and the salaries are low.
The multitude of applicants for the
teachers place would be greatly
diminished, if there was q clearer
knowledge in reference to the qualities
of a good school, Communities need
educating on this point.
The average voter has q supreme
contempt for the new education. He
is loud in his praise Of the old-fashion-
ed schoolmaSter, and is constantly
telling how much better the school
was kept in the old log house, than the
one taught in the costly building Of to-
day. His Nancy Jane can teach spell
ing and reading as we'll as college
graduate, and he does not believe much
more is needed to start q boy or girl in
life. It started him.
The average voter is more numer-
Gus than we are at first disposed to
believe. He keeps down the pay of
the district school teacher to starvation
point, votes against purchasing ap-
paratlls, or books Of reference, permits
the surroundings of the school-house
to become outrageous, and insists ON
constantly changing teachers. He
plants himself in the way of educa-
tiOnal progress, and is about rs hard to
get rid Of as the grasshopper Of the
West, or the snags in the Red River OF
the South. It is to be hoped he may
soon be removed to a better world, and
that his children may be more enlight-
ened than he.
Teachers are almost without sym
pathy in their misfortunes. They
have no political influence, no power OF
defending themselves before the public,
for the word of a wicked boy may dis
place a truthful teacher. No party is
touched when their salaries are reduc-
ed; they are q patient and uncomplaln-
ing set, and growing gray before their
time, they early disappear from public
gaze. But while the people generally
are neglecting the common school
teacher he is still at work, laying the
foundations for all professions. With
out his aid the service of the church
could not be understood, nor the ser
mon written; the lawyer could not
defend his client without him, or
the doctor save his patient. Intelli-
gence follows in his footsteps, and
wealth, to others, is the result Of his
patient toll still, few, comparatively,
feel the necessity Of paying h!m q
sufficient amount to bring comfort and
permanency to his home, and keep the
wolf from the door in time for old
age.
GOOD teachers should be encouraged
to continue in THEN work, for the
same qualities which make them yalua-
BILE in the schOOl-rOOm will win success
in other and more lucrative callings.
Unless capable persons can understand
tha5 their work viii be appreciated
and paid for, and unless they can be
assured Of some degree of permanent
cy, in one place, they will not continue
in the business. Only those will re-
main who can do nothing else. This
niggardly policy Of doing cut half q
living to faithful instructors has al
ready degraded che profession, and, ii
continued, will do SO still more.
What scholarly and energetic young
man would think Of devoting himself
to teaching in New York City, when
there is not one chance in three humid
red of ever earning $1,000 q year, and
in order to get even that he must first
serve twenty years on @ much smaller
salary. II the people permit this work
to continue it viii inevitably result in
the ruin Of our schools.
The hope of our country is in the
independent voter. While the great
mass Of men will vote for q man, not
because he is honest, but because he is
a Republican or Democrat, the indie
pendent voter cares little for eitherI
party, but votes for honest men, and
although in the minority, holds the
balance Of power, and often forces
nominating conventions to put for
ward the best men. The vast majority
four teachers are Independent voters.
and f0l1l3w tho }nodnrChi71 0f e11ab ~ OF,