Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-09-07
COMsaUNaCA'rED.
INFRINGEMENT.

Il
district at its late meeting, fixed inc
salaries of teachers in that district, iol
the next year as follows: No l. POI ~
No. 2. $50; No. 5, $40. The board OF
Education of Shepherd district ixed Inc
salaries as follows: No. l, S35; No 2,
els; No. 3, $40. -, ;,.u, hoo,
Teachers salaries always nave been
lower than any other class oi work,i'on
in proportion to what is required OF
them. and this reduction Will have
,n~o, ;n;urious tendency upon our school
.,s,o,n and upon our schools IL.
Tbe very men who make this reduc.
.;on COMPLAIN of the want of liberal
nolioy on the part Of the State towards
The public schools aud yet they are far
more illiberal than the State. The State
is doing all it can to encourage young
men aud women to study and prepare
themselves specially for teaching, SO
as to improve the character OF our
schools and add TO their efficiency, but
these Boards of Education destroy the
policy of the State by reducing The
salaries of good teachers so low that
there is no inducement for such to en-
gage in the work ard no equivalent
given for the time and money expended
in fitting themselves for teaching.
The State has established Normal
schools and Teachers Institutes and
endeavors in many ways to improyc the
teachers, but what is the use Of the eX-
pense if a teachers salary Is made less
than an ordinary clerk III store or
common laborer receives Why should
person qualify himself specially tor
teaching if he can get more wages at
something else, without any outlay OF
time, study and expense in educating
himself?
Teachers arc expected to do full work
md to do it well, no matter what their
paw may be, but when their salaries are
SO low that they can not support them
selves and families by it, they are COM
PEELED TO employ part OF their time IN
something else so as to exc ont living
A teacher is compelled TO buy books
and magazines in order to keep up with
his profession and improve himself in
teaching, and moreover they are com
pclled TO dress in more costly manner
than day laborcrs, because it Is made
part of their duty to teach ncatncss OF
dress and person. 4 teacher who goes
about in his shirt sleeves and soiicd
clothes, wearing old shoes or boots and
without socks, would not be tolerated III
n schoolroom and should not be, be
cause he has to teach by example and
no teacher should thus appear before
his pupils, and yet, from the amount OF
salary paid above, 10 Will have to do SO,
if he expects to live within his income.
A teacher, who lives in town has to
pay SIG month board, exclusive OF
washing and this is rs low IS he can
oct il; in the country lie has TO pay from
T12 TO SO, thus taking nearly oue-hal!
his months wages 10 pay hls board
alone. His wearing apparel costs him
now just as much as it did formerly
and provisions TO hiu are just as high,
because he has 10 buy il small Qnantl-
tics
Last year tho Teachers salary was
$50; this year it is made 800, which Is
22I2 per cent less than last year
Suppose member Of this Board had
last year boarded . teacher for %i2 2
month, would lie be willing this year to
DO the same FOX 50? Can the Board
iudncc any family in town to reduce
their rates from go to Sl2 because
every thing is lower now?
The Teachers WAGES have now been
reduced so low that no can not live Gil
his salary and before this time next
year, everything that Is now regarded
90 low Nil return to liz old rates, bnt
will the Board raise the teachers salary
to corresponds They arc not likely to
do il. Prices of produce arc iluctuatng
and every individual charges what ne
plcasos, Lut a teachers salary is fixed
tor the year and he cannot change by
the month to suit the cost Of living
The ground upon which this redpc-
ton is made is that the t;rmJr does not
make $50 month. This estimate Is
made upon insufficient data @n the
best evidence chat such il the fact, not
solitary man who thus reasons would
DE willing 10 exchange onet moiAiiswlth
the teacher. Tie farmer counts his
wheat, corn and hay, bat leaves out ms
live stock, vegetables, milk, butter,
c..gs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, wood
Sc, Which often amounts 10 moro than
the other crops on q well conducted
farm. In word, what a farmer counts
rs making on farm is clear gain OF so
much money, above all his expenses. II
ne says he does not make these things
10 sell, it is his own fault and he does
not do his duty as q farmer anymore
than teacher who neglocts his business
No wouarr Eo is not willing to OK
change with a teacher when no makes
more clear money month than the
teacher gets 20 meet Lis actual wants.
Better Things were expected Of the
men who compose our Boards Of edUca-
ton, and It is hoped that they will yet
sec the false policy thoy arc pursuing
ana avoid the positive injury they ere
doing to our schools aud school system.
gEoyv Fats Cana; Person Egoco,uo :
Aiirabcau, abiding 20 a very corpu-
lent person, said, Gle has only been
created 10 show TO what extent the hui