The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-03
TEACHERS SALARIES.
Half q Million a Year Paid
to Principals.
CURTAILMENTs SUGGESTED.
Serious Attempt to Estab ish Uniform
Schedule of Salaries.

The recent meeting held at Cooper Union In oppo.
siton TO the propose reduction OF the school teach
ers salaries excited popular interest IN the SUBJ
1ect OF the compe nsation OF these valued public SER
wants Mr. Choate IN his speech combatted the prop
ostion reduce the meagre pay OF the female assist
ants, but animated that money was beng freely
sqnandersd of the high priced principals ana
anitors that while general reduction OIL salaries
was undesirable readjustment on fair and equita-
bic basis would both effect saving and remedy the
fragrant incongruity which now appeared In the
distributor OF the school funds. The facts
now TO be presented for the first time Will sui
ncieniiy demonstrate how urgently this read1usment
Is needed not only upon the ground OF public econ
omy but also upon that Of public justice. II appears
from the report for 1s76-that Tor 1877 not beng
printed as yet-that in that year the following
amounts were paid I'm round hgures) for mere "su.
pervision" Tor, as Mr.. Choaie expressed IL In his
speech. for .bossng') in salaries Of principals and
vice principals VINO do no teaching wnatever:-Aale
principals grammar schools, $685. o0o female prin
cipas OF grammar schools, $4,000; principals OF
primary schools, sl7s tola s422 ooo TO this Is
TO be aided about 900 paid to the principals In
primary schools and general assistants who perform
DO teaching, and we have total OF nearly half mill
ion spent upon mere supervision or ''bossing. The
total spent 1876 upon teachers salaries was
upon TINS supervisory" work. School Superintend-
enr Kiddle, whes confronted with these figures yes
terday, was greatly astouished but admitted their
correctness, and several members OF the Board de-
Shared they bad idea that The amount paid 10 prn-
cipals heavy and swallowed up so great pro-
porton of the school funds.
MUCH ''BossNG."
II is admitted by the best friends OF the school
teachers and schools that much OF the above sum
could be saved without injury 10 The schools In all
the large school houses less than three
principals. whose duties merely consist In "super-
vislon"--one for the male, one Tor the female gram
mar depar tment one Tor the primary department.
Could not principal ut $4,000 per year do the
whole 'bossing" IN the building? Is a question that
has often been asked. The query was put to super
iptendent Kdde yesterday aud he was asked whether
such change would affect the efficiency Of the schools
unlavoraby. Mr.. Kiddle did not hesitate 10 declare
that, on the contrary, such measure would not only
effect great saving, but was 70 be advocated gu e
apart from all CONSIDERATIONS Of economy. He be-
eved would increase The efficiency oil the schools;
it would DrIng the entire school building unuer the
harmonious direction OF mind. The great dis.
crepancies often appearing IN the seating acconm0da-
lions oil The three different departments would no
longer prevail, Tor one mind, instead OF three would
mako itself let the arrangements oil these linz
portant matters Of school management. Besides, 1t
natural motives Of delicacy, iore0ore 10 make men
ton that the presence OF three heads IN one school
building often gives rise 10 dsorder, Jealousy and
conflict vi interests by NO means advantageous 10 he
harmony oil tue SCHOOL, The Interests OF the primary
and the grammar pals WILL many Cases. clash.
The pupils should be advanced rom the one into the
Other aspart ment, but wnie the grammar principal
anxious rom the primary ali The scholars he
IN Order to make good showing IN having well
attended, popular school, the primary principal, LOT
the same reason prefers to keep all the scholars she
can Not only Superintendent kiddle, but also
number OF the School Comm ustees tnspec
tors and friends OF The school generally are oil the
opinion that placing these hyora-headed SCHOOL
houses unucr the charge o one principal would I'm
prove the efficiency oi me scnoois school NO: az
present COSTS $1,000 per annum ior superv!Jlon;
school NO. z $ll,os4; school NO. o Sll'ooa; School
No. 4, $40, 200, aud 30 ON.
CONSOLIDATING HIGH CLASSICS
Another great evil winch causes unnecessary ex-
pendnure oil money IN the opinion oil superintendent
kidd)e as well as OF other aDie educators Is keeping
the grades IN too many schools where these
Classes have dwiuded down 10 a iuaicrously small
hgure hese are the classes In which sucn subjects
AS etymolosy, higner arithmetic, aigeofs, natural
philosophy, astronomy, &C., are taught rake a Few
instances Inc hisnest class OF school NO. o. male
department, contained last december o-ly ~ pupils,
who we're taught al an average cost oil over per an
nun by teacher receiving 81 5O0 IN school No. the
hghes, class vi II arealso Taught ny " 900 eacher
In school No 10 there Is another cass oil II taught NJ
$1,000 per anpum The highest classes OF the female
department are equally Thin and equally expensive,
according ~ the figures taken from The Official reports
maze 10 superintendent k'adie ,or tho month OF De-
cem0er last In Scboo No. A the highest class
OF the female depar'men numbered 40 pupils,
whose teacher receives $1,000, while School NO.
70 had oniy IL scholars IN The highest class.
taught by an instructress receiving $lZOO. or Just
$lV0 per bead--rather u nigh ngure isnt ~ Mr.
kadIe thinks thai ny consolidating these hlgn classes
quite number OF these nigh priced teachers could
be dispensed with wbe The interests OIL popular edu
cation would even gam by the change. More accom-
mediation would De PROVIDED Tor Inc overcrowueo
primary Classes IN all the school buildings whose few
best grade pupils now occupy an almost empty room
while The lowest graoes were cramned " suHocu'ion
BY Transferring these weve fifteen or twenty puphsto
ahotuer schooi mousse whose Class was equally
sparse another room would be gained Tor tue pr mary
department. anu 10 some Instances tnls reliei woulo
do away WAN the necessity OF erecting new school
houses mere wouu sui remain sulnclent numoer
oil schools III which the n8hest grades were taught,
ana me others ~oua oe simply "ntermeuale
SCHOOLS, suc1 as are ehoraceo III tne schoo system
oil Boston ana oiher ieaoiuR g" eS Tue saving would
be quite consioetaoie.
CHANGE TO Bk GRADUALLY EXPECTED.
But u wni oe askeu' II a large NUMBER OF primer.
pals ana highest class eacners are 70 DO cut OH I'D the
manner ABOVE Indicated what ~ 10 become oil these
deserving ana valued puohc servantsr would " NOT
De cruel harash'b 70 lhus throw CUT OIL employment
tnosc men anu women VINO nave peeh virtually APP
pointed curing gooo oenav'ort onaouo1euy II wouia
and mere Is no danger that THESE measures auoped