The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-08-02

SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL MATTERS
IN mAHONINCs

arithmetic and object teaching; and durin
tile reign of the Green's Analysis in Englisl
grammar, man who had sound views oi
these subjects was generally considered as ia
behind the age as he was ahead of it. Nov
we bahish mental arithmetic from our school
and grow wild over language lessons, &c
We might as well attempt to calculate tn,
probabilities of the weather for next year al
try to foretel what the "topit of the day
will be in our schools two years hence.
But this evil shows itself especially in the
financial management of our school funds
Eight years ago, when money was not a.
rare an article as it is now, schools were in
the hands of men who, in the name of edu.
cation robbed the taxpayers by their extrava.
gances in putting up expensive building.
and thus burdened the community with a
heavy debt. Now the hard times have 50
influenced our politics that we have voted
those men out of office and have voted in
teachers and the pupils ofour schools to favor
the ax-poyers. The former robbed Peter to
pay Paul, the latter turn and rob Paul to
pay Peter in districts where the people
were thus burdehed with heavy debts in
years past, we can not find so much fault
with the men, in whose hands the schools
at present are, if they do reduce salaries
somewhat and shorten the school term to
make an honest effort to relieve the people
of oppressive debts. But in districts that
are free from debts and that have no heavy
expenses, in the way Of putting up OF repair
ing school buildings there is no excuse for
any such economy.
The district of Mahoning has had no debts
for many years. 1t has none now. There
is generally a surplus in the treasury at the
end of the school year. The men in whose
hands the schools were in past years deserve
great credit for their careful financial man
agement. The school-taX is low. Hence
there is no excuse at all for being so unreas-
enable as to reduce teachers salaries from
year to year on the plea that the times are
hard.
We presume that, besides tho Necessity of
being economical, there are several other
consideration that are usually taken into
account in fixing the salaries of our teachers.
OD. The teachers of Mahoung for the last
few years all resided in the district. They
boarded at home and paid but little or moth
ing for their board. The directors Just made
allowance for this and reduced their salaries
accordingly. So that the district and not
the teachers enjoyed the benefit Of their par
ents' generosity. 1t virtually amounts to
this, that the teachers paid their board to the
district whilst their parents furnished it,.
rms Is scarcely rendering unto Caesar the
a. T.. ~
things that are CAESARS"
" 1here Is feeling among many peo-
PIE mat the teachers OF our schools ought to
receive no more pay than any ordinary day
iaoorer. a good hlred man can be obtain
ca IVr FlZ per month ana board hence
teachers ought to nave only about S22 to
go per month without board. The feeling,
we suppose, springs not so much from a
sense oi justice as IRON feeling OF Jealousy
between those VINO labor IN the school.room
ana thoSe VINO work IN the held. 1t is not
easy TO make clear to some people the in
justice ol TINS. They forget that skilled Ia
Dor everywhere commands higher wages
than unskllled labor. Their logic would
hold good if, after the crops of the season are
gathered IN, the school directors could ask
the farmers for their hired men to take
charge OF the schools.
(3J 1t Is sometimes said that there are
so many applicants that teachers can easily
De oOialned Tor very low salaries, and If
thoSe that nave charge oi the schools are not
WlIIlhS TO teach ior the salaries paid them,
IT. IT., Is an easy ihatter TO get those who Will.
ms oi course, IS true' hut II your earpen-
ter is not "lIihS 10 work Tor hlty cents a
GGay; you can easily get one who VIII work
lor iorty cehts-ohly ne never leaTned the
uauc' IL your shoemaker charges you TOO
huch, you can easily hnd one who VIII
make par OF boots dollar cheaper-only
ne can make ht. II You take fever,
ana you don't feel ike paying $500 to have
a good physician attend you, you can easily
get one to come Tor less, but you must not be
surprised II he prescrlbes cattle powder.
we have no doubt that tcacsers can be
obtained Tor Sl7 or SIS per mouth, but we
venture to say that, with the exception Of
those lew who are compelled by circum-
stances TO teach ior almost any salary, the
schools would be better without teachers.
More good would be accomplished f teachers
were employed lor $40 per month aud the
schools were open only three months, than
can be accomplished by employing teachers
Tor paItry salaries sor live months.
lhere Is no reason why the schools OF
Mahohlng should not be among the best in
the county. The district is able to pay sal.
aries sufficient to secufe good teachers. For
the last three years and over there was
select school in the district, in the summer,
that gave the teachers an opportunity not
only OF reviewing aud studying more tho
roughly the branches required for the an
nual examinations, but also of studying
some of the higher branches and thus quail
Tying themselves better for the work OF the
schoolIoom. This schools now under the
charge of Prof. a. 5. Weber, a member of
the senior class in Franklin and Marshall
college, and an experienced teacher, affords
the opportunity TO students OF preparing for
with these facilities for improvement,
MahohIhS mas haa Tor INC last two years,
they received. But thew cannot @ ho is' I,,"% Lont
for low salaries. 1t is proba
hln that .,ft H., . a -