Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-09-21
COMMUNICATED.

Ed. Register-In your issue of the
9TH inst, complaint is made agains, the
Boards OF Education of Potomac and
Shepherd Districts for reducing the sal
aries OF teachers, and We say unjustly;
and we are assured the majority of the
people in the districts will bear us out
In what we say on the subject. Com
plainant says teachers salaries have al
ways been less than any other workmen
in proportion to what is required OF
them. We say our friend is little too
harsh in his statements; has he tried
every other occupation? DO you know
what it is to work for ~ hours a day,
at hard labor, for $40. $l2, or $13 per
month, and support your family on such
wages? Laboring men do this aud DO
not complain; are your services worth
four times as much as theirs? Do you
think education commands always the
price it asks or wants? / tell you no;
we don't all view matters in the same
light. We have from three 10 five ap-
plicants to every school, and they want
them at whatever the price Or salary
may be, and we will say now if school
teaching don't suit you, try working on
a farm for the above wages. Why do
you so tenaciously cling to the school if
you can do better at something else?
We don't blame you for doing the best
you can, but we do blame you for cen
surfing men trying to do their duty. 1t
will not injure the school system in the
least in reducing the salaries-plenty OF
good teachers to take the places of those
that are dissatisfied. You make an I'M
just statement when you say the very
men who make this reduction complain
OF want of liberality on the part OF the
State. We say no such thing. we
say the State is too liberal with spend
ing Jefferson and Berkeley county mon
ey, in supporting schools out in the
mountains; they only run their schools
four months in the year (some OF them
at leas,), and would not do that, only
TO get the State appropriation. We tell
you, we never get back from the State
what We pay her, and if she pursues this
course We don't want any of her liberal
! ity-we could do better TO run our own
schools. You complain of the expense,
time, &c, teachers are at to educate
themselves; three-fourths of the teach
ers in the county were educated at the
public expense, and, moreover, the time
you expend in acquiring the art OF
teaching is of no more value and re-
qurcs no longer time than it does to
get tn, knowledge to be farmer, me-
chanic or that of any other occupation.
The time has about passed when the
professional Tor what they are pleased
to call such) are to be favored above
the men that make the living for all
give him his and rate the other accord
ingy. This complainant speaks OF
clothing, board, provisions, &c, being
as high rs it ever was; now, in all can
dor, every one knows that all the neces-
saries OF life are cheaper than ever
even before the war-wth slight eXcep-
tons. Why would he make such a
statements He says clothing costs more
for the teacher than it does tor the la
boring man; we know the laGoring man
wears out more clothes than any other,
| and costs him more, say nothing about
the Inconvenience of being dirty, and
the untidiness OF his appearance, which
cannot be helped. My man, the only
comfort | can give you is to fight the
world as others fight it, grin aud bear
it; get the soitest place you can and
keep it You ask us to try your place
some of us have done so, and | say that
sitting 10y warm stove with the Their
mometcr below zero, is far preferable to
husking corn for 8 cents per barrel, and
feeling uncomfortably cold for 10 hours.
And as regards board, come along. l
will board you for IS per month, and
make 50, but won't give you nick nacks
to top every meal with. You see, you
fellows are about done running the
schools to suit yourselves. Tax payers
have little to say in this matter. Sup
pose you compare the present salary to
that paid by other neighboring States,
and See if we do not come up to any of
them. Then what are you complaining
about? You say you cannot live on the
present salary; others do so, and | will
Just state here, the Trustees of certain
district employed as worthy and cornpe-
tent man as could be desired, for $50,
before the Board met to fix the salaries;
and, furthermore, the County Superin-
tendent one year ago said $50 was
enough, rating it with other prices, l
can substantiate all | say, and in con-
clusion will say i'll reply to your commu-
ncation, all men employed, no matter
what their pay may be, are required to
do full work, and that is what / have
to say in regard to the Commissioners;
if any complain about receiving no pay
they knew there was none before the
election-then what did they accept the
office for? Also every occupation fol-
lowed is compelled to be at an expense
as well as school teaching. We say all
honor to the profession 1t is noble
calling, but when any one thinks he can
do better at anything else, let him go at
it. You say better things were expect
ed of the board; the people elected the
board, and they were unanimous in
complying with what Shepherd District
required them to do.
J. NJ. II.
AFFAIR OF HoNoR.-An affair, to
which this ennhonions form &c ,bronnb