The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-08-22
For the Register.
InE COMPENSATION OF TEAOnERs.


In republic the army of teachers is
of morc-value to the public veal than
an army Of armed men. Had 1t not
been for our public schools, the late ar
my of volunteers might have been an
army of enslavement, instead of an ar
my of liberation. The pensions bestow-
ed upon members of that army amount
TO an immense sum but are the rccipi-
ents more worthy of those favors than
persons who have grown old in the SER
vice of teaching?
The profession of teacher, though not
subject to risks of loss of life as the sol
dier's is, is in other respects rs liable
to wear and tear of mind and body.
The teaching and disciplining of pupils
are not unlike that of disciplining and
controlling soldiers, while the pleasure
| BILE change and excitement sometimes
experienced by military men, can sell
dom be enjoyed by the teacher, whose
brain, nerves and sympathies are under
constant strain, without much relief
| from variety.
In view of these facts, it seems just
u us tllti tllC compensation Va the
teacher should be increased, and that
pensions should be bestowed in certain
cases. would suggest that the state
might allow two dollars week extrf
pay for every five years service, anc
that retiring board should be estab
lishcd with power to recommend a par
or the whole of the extra pay as pen
sion, after service, say of twenty-five
or thirty years. Especially does such {
provision seem called for where the
teachers are females, in the receipt O
low salaries.
! l do not here pretend to fix the pre-
else sum that ought to be allowed il
either case, but merely suggest sun
for consideration. The sum statct
would probably never prove burden
some to the state; and it is not impossi
BILE, if the system should be adopted
that legacies might be left for the pur
pose. This would be juster DISPOSE
ton of estates than the bestowal of then
as in some instances, for the foundation
of new colleges or institutions of learn
ing. In order to further the interest
of education the teacher must have tn
proper consideration for his services
and it is reasonable that his pay SHOULD
increase with the years that he devote
to the profession.
In order to examine into this question
we should have first to ascertain how
many teachers there are in the stat
who have taught over five years; ant
second, how many have taught TO
twenty-five or thirty years in success
sion, who might be thought worthy o
pensions. With these facts CAREFUL.
ascertained, we might then proceed Il
decide with more assurance whethe
the plan proposed should be adopted.
At all events, it operates very unjust
ly to give an inexperienced teacher, sa.
sixteen or seventeen years old, the sam
pay that is bestowed upon one who ha
taught twenty or thirty years. The FIJI
ture of the teachers profession ough
to offer growth and increase as well a
that of any other pursuit in life. Tn,
"liberal" professions should be liberal
ly dealt with, if we expect to derive TIT
proper benefit from them.
1t doubtless imparts great energy o
character to society when the femal,
enters into the conflict of life as teach
er, and while generously laboring fol
the public good, provides out of her lit
tie pay sutliciency to sustain her de
Ginning years, especially where invest
ments arc SO insecure as among us. A
society thus toned may be stronger than
one where the female surrcnders her.
self to the narrow routine of religious
sect, as a nun, and receives an assured
support in all the varied phases of life
If so, if we enjoy higher tone of soci.
ETY. from the efforts of our female teach.
ers, ought we not to give proper sup
port to those teachcrsY Is the support
we give them sufficient to meet the de-
mands of equity and justice? These
are questions that ought to be well
weighed. j. w. PHELPS.