Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-01-25
COMMUNICATED.
UNWlSE ECONOMY IN THE PAY
OF TEACHERS.

Mr.. Editor-The following sensible
article under the above caption appeared
in the first number of the w. Va. Jour
nal of Education, a weekly paper pub
lished at Morgantown; and, in response
TO repeated calls for papers containing
it, the article was republiShed in last
weeks issue OF the same Journal. The
calls for this article are not from West
Virginia alone, but from several other
States. Everywhere persons are aroused
to the consideration of the question: {:
Why should bar-keepers receive better
pay than the teachers of the young? :?
If you have room for the article please
publish. We think it will cause the
people Of our section to stop and con-
slider this question of "reduced pay for
school teachers" in different light.
J. l.. LII.
ECONOMY, that is, frugality in ex-
penditure, the intelligent avoidance Of
all waste aud extravaganza, the app!ica-
ton of our resources TO the best posi-
Die advantage, will ever be ranked as a
cardinal virtue. The practice OF it is a
sore token of civilization. The iSno-
rarit savage is imprudent, extrayagant,
wasteful, inordinately gratifying the de
Sizes Of the present moment without
any thought or care for the future.
The civilized man, on the contrary, is
thrifty, frugal, saving, provident, wisely
torecastng The future and arming him
self against its possible emergencies.
Economy lays the foundation of prince
ly fortunes. 1t converts grinding pow
erty into a reasonable competence, and
a reasonable competence into golden
afiluence. 1t is the nurse of patriotism.
Frugal ard economical peoples have
been universally patriotic. The eco
nomical Scotch, the frugal pcasantry OF
France, and the thrifty German are in
structive examples of the union Of econ
omy and patriotism Economy is the
mother of liberality, for, if man saves
nothing, he can give nothing. Men Of
economical habits build churches, found
hospitals, endow colleges, educate the
ignorant, relieve the distressed, spread
light and JOY and blessing all around
them. The largest beuefactions of this
century have been made by industrious,
frugal and economical men.
But there is an nnwise economy. 1t
is unwise economy in a carpenter to
have box of poor, dull, worn-out tools
rather than spend money to possess the
newest, sharpest and best tools. For
with tie improved tools, he could do
more and better work in shorter time,
with less labor, and at a higher price
He could make money 10y spending
money. The lawyers with the largest
and costliest libraries have the most and
best cases We always employ the sur
geon who owns the best instruments. it
pays a doctor 10 possess delicate snrgi-
cal instruments, for he is sure to have a
large and paying practice. The preach
er who will not buy new books and
read current literature, must live on a
short allowance and preach TO small and
sleepy congregations. "Tbere is that
scattereth, and yet increasetb; and there
is that with-holdeth more than is meet,
bot ii tendeth 10 poverty"
In there hard times the gospel of
economy is being preached from all pull
pits, by all lecturers, in all newspapers.
The people are told that they must
economize, but they are not always
told where to begin their economy. The
people of West Virginia ere attempting
to live more economically by reducing
the pay OF their intellectual and moral
teachers. Ali over the State the salaries
of clergymen have been reduced within
the last year or two, and .here is now a
determined aud persistent effort (suc-
oessful in many places,) 10 reduce tie
already meagre allowance given to the
teachers in our public schools. AT the
same time il would be difficult, if not
impossible, to show that the people Of
this State drink less whisky, wine and
beer, smoke fewer cigars, chew less to-
bacco, cat palmer food, or dress less ex-
pensiyely than they did during the
prosperour years preceding the panic
Of 1873. Are our tables less bounlifully
S Jresd than they were FIVE years ago'
Are fewer cigars and less tobacco manu-
factured and soldi Is the number Of
drinking places decreasiDgi Do our