The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-04-27
LETTER PROM SALEM.

To TIE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST
Your comments upon the report of the
Linn county superintendent of schools
have given rise.to few thoughts which
1 herein transcribe for your columns.
1t is only because the people lack pub
lie spirit that they tamely submit to
wrongs. For this reason the report
showing that women are "low-prieed
teachers" and the declaration that
"low-priced teachers" should not be
employed, rouses a spirit of just resent
ment in every breast where justice finds
lodgment.
Not only should the women who are
laboring side by side with men for ''only
half the pay" be reused to indignation,
but the fathers who have educated their
daughters for teachers should join in
giving voice to the just rebuke.
Why is it, pray, that all primary
scholars are placed in charge of Glow
priced teachers ?" And why are teach
ers, who are in point of ability and edu-
cation equally qualified to teach, paid
unequally? 1t is an accepted fact
among educators that work in the pri-
mary grades is much more trying on
nerves, strength, and patience than is
work in the higher grades; fact equally
well accepted is that teachers employed
in the lower grades have often two or
three times the number of pupils under
charge that those above them in salary
have. The well paid teacher has far
less labor to accomplish than the poorly
paid one who struggles on and on ham
pered by small economies that compel
her to be her own seamstress and Iaun-
dress an Over-worked, under paid
drudge.
The school thus carried on under the
auspices Of a school board composed
solely of men, and who consequently
know nothing of the daily life and
needs of the women teachers, draws to a
close. Now comes the hue and cry
from county superintendents of schools
and dogmatical parents who expect
SINAA NIAANACh W SAluhaLC III VII &C
months that the ''children are no farther
advanced than when the term began"
Observation teaches us that mothers
and sisters are usually far more inter-
ested in the general welfare of the chill
dren of the household than the male
members of the family are. 1 have no
doubt that most fathers who educate
| their daughters for teachers do so with
Interpretation of being relieved of their
maintenance. They must accept low
prices or men will be the only teachers
employed. A majority of fathers care
or seem to care nothing about the un-
equal wages paid to teachers on account
of sex, leaving it to "deeply-interested
school boards" to first over-work, then
under-pay, and finally complain of the
"low- priced teachers" At least, ]
know that this has been the case in this
city. With crowded schools and care.
less grading, or, rather, no grading al
all, our women teachers have toiled tC
the best of their ability under the ad,
verse circumstances, and, of course, the
result has not been what it would have
been had the schools been properly
graded and salaries aud duties equal.
ized.
If directors and superintendent were
selected from both sexes, we might with
reason expect these wrongs to be righted
1t has been more than hinted here tha
the How-priced teachers" are imbuinl
their pupils with strong equal right!
proclivities, and if so, we may hope tina
in the next generation there will be nj
teachers half paid merely because they
are women. Every right gained, or every
right principle inculcated, IS but on,
step more in the progress of equality, ant
opposition to these things will but tenC
to hasten their advancement.
The larger number of men on ou
school boards are men who are bu
slightly acquainted even with their owl
families, hence know nothing of the la
Dor required to cultivate a crop of un
ruly Juveniles and bring them up in th,
right way.
Yours for justice to teachers and fo
reform generally, SYBIL.
Salem, April Is, 1877.