The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-06


The average monthly pay Of teachers OF
public schools in 3 States in 1915 was SLID;
South Carolina In ISIS, S26.S2; In Abbertlle
in 1873, 1896. Hence, our Count paiG
y. 10 less than the average OF - states, anu
s.. ~ less than the average of all the Counties
in South Carolina.
In 1876 thcavcragc time the public schools
were open In - States WAS n fraction less than
| months; in 1873 in all the counties in South
Carolina, 3 LILO; III .Abbcviile, * months.
Hence, our county, 1878, kept her schools open
nearly ~ month longer than the average OF
- States, in 1876 and ~ longer than the aver
igc OF all ;ic counties in south Carolina In
lSiSi But while she raised more money. n
kept her schools opru longer than any coun-
~ in the State. excepting Charleston, she
paid n less monthly wages than y out of the
y counties.
On first view, this might he counted to her
credit, us it WIS apparently getting much
1t will not be found to be Il safe policy. The
average salary paid by the county
was OnlySlG5.lt.
Ten months, including both the public and
the private term. is Il full year for amy school.
But IA 5ts months were covered by the public
term. only ~ were left for private contract.
Thirty dollars per month is believed TO he Il
fair average salary for teachers of all Grades
on private contract, at present prevailing
prices. This gives the average salary Of S23.-
~ ~ 80 ma - ~ NaN, W. tiN ~ N's -
in ten months, and less than 80 cents per day
for the working days n Il year. The terms of
private contracts cannot be found in PUBLISH
I'd statistics. They must b. learned by in
qIiry, and arc To some extent matter OF con-
Still l feel some assurance that the
I have given, though not capable on
proof by any date within my reach, Will not
fall below the truth, except, possibly, In q
very few of the more advanced towns and ed
ucutional ccntIcS in the county. 1t Is within
my personal Knowledge that II first class
teacher, and one of the most lnboriollS work
ers In the county, located IN Il prosperous
community where educational expenditures
rs freely made us In amy other, received
by private contract so per month. I believe,
that my Stimitc arc no too low,
and that II large majority OF the teachers pres
will confirm the Statements that nearly
all the schools in the county are run on s;lla-
RIGS ranging from 500 tor teachers or the low
cr grades, 20 500 tor the higher ones. y few
exceptions are admitted as stated before.
There are one hundred and fifty teachers Ger.
~tiiicltcS IN the county, ten or nitccn Will
cover all the exceptions IN favor OF salaries
over S3J.
/ have taken some pains to ascertain the
in other cn,p!oylncntS, So thai we
STE the subject In contrast.
In mercantile business, In our interior clues
towns and villages, salaries range thus: book
keepers, SGW to $500: salesman, $50 TO Sl2W
500 to $l2U0. -,
Railroads South pay according 10 thel length
and business OF The road us elsewhere, put III
Il very low rate. superintendent receive
5000 to 5000; assistant superintendent, SlGN
to SlSJ: conductors. 500 to $Imn: depot agents
500 to Sl2U: clerks, SiS0 to $500; section mas
tcrs, $40 To SGW; master machlnlsts, Sl9oO 70
SlSiI; ordinary mlchlniStS, SGD To S9JO; car
TO Sl2lE; trcasurcrs, $l5JJ to 5000; road masters
$l2uD TO SlSGD.
In ilrst class cotton mills, wages run thus
Superintendent. S2iW 10 $ItfD; oversecrs OF
. .stlul - IN -. Jrilt nj nIsnr
secrs, $40 70 SIS: common helps, males, SlN
10 $50; females, SIS TO S220; weavers, malt
and female, Sl7O TO So; boys and girls, SO 10
Sl6D.
Mr.. pinkcrson's exposure OF tho Mollic Ma
guirc combination states, that In the invests
CATION OF the management of the Pennsyl'
vania Coal and Iron Manufacturing Compan
by q legislative committee III lhI2'I3, Mr.:
Gowen, President OF The Company, showGd
that their employees received Il monthly
wages OF go to Sl2l.
In all these great industries, positions and
prices are well graded, and in them fidelity
and Skill in subordinate positions result III
promotion SO that the huInblcSt clerk Oh
operative in any OF them has open before MN
and in plain view an ascending sralcof honor
ANA reward, to fan ambition and lncite &c
pcrseycrinT effort. They arc MI well Orsani
zcd, and the officers In whom resides thf
power to promote arc acquainted VIII
every position and It's occupant and thus
merit Is quickly seen and rewarded. such ! j.
not the case with the teacher. His Is ~ wid(
area, the system under which lie works /!
not well organized, and in IL no similar pro
motions exist. Small Salar!cd railroad agent:
can generally supplilncnt by combining eX'
press work and cotton Weighing with tilcl'
road duties. Miners and Factory operative!
can employ oil the members or their lainlilcS
and thus multiply producers. No similar al
vantagcS are found in the profession OF teach
ing. When Il man %! family engages IN teach
ing. the productive power OF his family tie
crc;lScS. because his supervision Is wltndIaWn
You remember found the annual average
salaries oil teachers in the county 10 be S2tB.S!
for The public and the private terms added
II order to make the matter very sure, an
that orr teachers may appear as favorable IL
possible in con pariSDn With ptlcr sala!lct
workers that have mentioned, let us ASSUME
that have undo rated what teachers rocciv'
by private contract over nnd.aboVc what TIT
c0uIty pays, and That | ought To add 90 pc
cent. TO my estimate. This would raise Tn
average from S2i;.hD to $50. Eut even then !
VIII uc equal only 10 the salary of the loves
salrS,ncn ~ stores, all book.kecprrsan man
ayers will sill be above II. IT Will be cqua
only to the least paid railroad a.cntSand telt
S!ap!t operators ut uninporianL way stations
and The most unSkilled road carpenters, su
pcrinlcndcnts. assistant superintendent
trc;tSur"rS, conductors, road and section mas
tiers, clerks, and all 'nIachinistS wonld D
above II. In cotton mills, his pay ranks onl.
with the best wc;.vcrS and common helps
All lllS IIllNol l1lilt lpSIll'llo Afc''
lay than lie receives. Ills wages Is less thai
tho common miner in the Coal and IRON Con-
pany referred 10 above.
WHAT SALARIES OUGHT TO EE.
These figures and comparisons show a stat
OF Things not favorable To the Interests OK c,i
ucItiom. 70 say that the teachers saiar.
ought To be greater than the salary Vi INC ocs
class Of store clerks; carpenters ordinar.
nlnchinistS. section masters, conductors nh'
clerks OF railroad companies wehfers am
assistant OvcISeers III cotton mills, ana Vi
common miner ui coal and iron, would no
be extravaganza. Yet they are I'LL better pal
than he Is. None of their positions requlr
talents higher than Is found in the nl;Iss q
our teachers. Tney are nlicd by person
noted Tor fidelity In business rather titan pc
culiar c~ndOwmCntS. SunlrUI them, IL Is truI
served apprcnLiccShipS, and others llrsL wOrR
cd in humber stations; but III whatever VA.
they prepared themselves IUf higher Worh
tncy earned II LIVING in The meantime, The.
gave no unpaid gtbUr, and expended no cIpl
til to gain The point. Ii thrifty, they cuul
accumulate means at every step. Most q
our teachers on the other hdnu have Spcli
from our 10 six years in preparation Tor tllei
work ~ al annual cost III slov 10 S2n. In
teacher, moreover, laDors III Il department Z
life vastly more important Than they. IL !
admitted thai their work Is cSscntialst 10 III
material progress and onllo OF society, SUI
they deal only with the gross articles ol tlilu
and cOinmcrcc. The teacher works IN I'll
higher domain OF mind. He AS co-laoorc
with parents in exciting and shaping thouSli
controlling the will, cuItivating MANNERS. am
taste, awakening the scnsiDllltics, and Kind
ling IL nobl ambition for great stretches q
intellectual work; with the minister o! III
gospel IN restraining the passions, winning
the wayward TO grntlcncss, and III Leading II
tie way to Him in whose tear lies the begin
ming OF wisdom. TllUmsou's lines may D'
trite, but they give US at least IL pretty con
ccption OF Il part Of the teachers labor.
"Delightful task, to rear the tender thought
TO teach the young idea how to shoot,
10 pour the fresh Instruction Ger the nina,
To breathe the enlivcnlig spirit, anu to ilA
The generous purpose IN The glowing breast.
The merchants clerk measures fabrics ant
weighs prUuuctS, but the teacher shapes anl
Strengthens the mind that measures Inc CIR
cult vi The comet, and weighs the stars With
out II balance the machinlst constructs ant
adipts the various parts OF the englnc 10 re
vulrc the wheels Of the train but the scloo
originates II controls the dynalhlcs lha
rcvul1c the WllculS OF society, Slalo ant
Church the conductor transports the pro
ducts of the field; but the teacher inluses en-
crsy into the mind that transports th'
thoughts and wishes OF men over mountain:
and under seas On cords VI wire: Inc iactoi9
wcavcs llnts and iibres into cloth but th'
tcuclcr directs the mind that weaTcS The the
urIrs OF lie and governments; the miner dig
down The u~uarricS of the hills, but The teucil
or gives courage and aim TO the min tina
gathers up The laws Of the universe II Duild'
INTO the massive masonry Of Sclclicc.
Shall not The teacher, therefore. DC palt
more than those, us his work Is higher: lLl
he that gives TO us what
youth instructs, old age delights,
.idurns prosperity, and when
OF adverse fate We feel the blight
Twill comfort and sOl;lce us tllen.'
AS q general rule, men prepare themselves
with IL care and lh0ruughncsS proportioncd t
the reward or The profession in view. lltdc-
uullc compensation drives competent teach
crs into other c~mployMlentS and leaves This
imporlanL field to men OF low or medium Gu
pacltv. Education, like the trades in ono
sense, is regulated oy the common law thai
what You get Is IN proportion 10 what YOU
pay for It.. With present low prices, hut lew
nrrsons OF high rIldowmcntS will engage IN
-lA,.- - IL tnn.