New-York tribune., 1879-03-13
NEW YORK DAILY TRIBUNE, THURSDAY, MARCH l3 1879

guide a skilful mechanics hand, and Is to he
rewarded after different fashion. why
should we go back TO the wages OF fifteen
years ago, because az that period good work
was not properly paid for7 The profession
is one that calls for constant study,
for vigorous health, for earnest pleas
ure in its work; and these are necessities
that cannot be maintained upon pittance
and the endless anxiety that l. the result OF
that pittance. There are, of course, many
teachers whose work is not worth hVe
cents day. these should be remorse-
lesslv weeded out. Let there be an
end to teaching by young women who nave
no natural aptitude and little training. and
who take up the work as makeshitt until
their marriage-day. A school committee
can make no poorer investment than in
teaching by the letter without spirit. No
one should teach in the schools who has not
enthusiasm for her work. a marked natural
capacity for it, and a thorough training. But
so long as prices are reSOlutely kept
down and constantly reduced, there Is
no temptation to any one to spend years
in sincere and careful preparation, or
the few hours out of school in the necessary
study that prevents intellectual rust. Why
should time and money be given to the get
ting ready for a work which gives only the
simplest daily bread and raiment and which
after life of earnest devotion leaves the
workers old age to miserable dependence or
to actual suffering for the physical needs OF
existence If school boards would spend the
time which they now occupy in trying to re-
duce salaries in endeavoring to get better
teachers, the next generation would profit in
calculably. Make the severest requirements
of teachers, relentlessly dismiss all who are
half-compctent-and when you get good ones,
pay them an honest wage.
An argument for reduction recently intro
dnced in the Cincinnati School Board was the
sinful extravaganza Of teachers. The wise man
making it thought that teachers dressed
too well-they ought to wear calico
gowns. female teacher politely pointed
out the unanswerable fact that in or
der to maintain the necessary neat
ness the calico gowns would require constant
washing, and constant washing involved
large laundry bills. But the insolence of
the argument no one appeared to re-
buke. AS well tell clergyman that
because he could keep breath in his body
and a rag upon his back for 20 cents
a day, he should receive no more for the
work of his earnest mind his devoted soul
woman who has spent her youth IN making
ready for her profession, and who gives her
days to the conscientious and successful per-
formance of this most difficult and wearing
task of thorough instruction, ought, certainly,
10 receive righteous recOmpense, without sug-
gestion as to how she shall eXpend
it. What member of any other of the
learned professions would endure such in
trusiOn
1t is impossible to find in all the school board
discussions on retrenchment one in which
these arguments, or others as shOrt-sighted,
are not brought forward. There Is ex-
tremely poor teaching in this country; and
so long as these arguments prevail; so long
as men and women are appointed for
political reasons however well hidden;
so long as a wel-trained and success
full female teacher of many years eX-
perience receives the same wages paid to an
utterly inexperienced boy just beginning
work, or even less-sO long will this poor
teaching continue. AS matters are now ar
ranged in our schools, the yict0rs' spOils are
hardly worth the taking.