The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-07-07
TIE FREE SCHOOLS OF AUSTIN.
AS PROPOSED FOR TIE COMING scHoLAs-
TIC YEAR.

AS PROPOSED FOR THE COMING scHoLAs-
TIC YEAR.
Is the system a good one? Can it
be successfully carried out? Let us
glance at some of its leading fea-
lures In the first place, the primary
schools may receive as a maximum
attendance sixty pupils, and all are
to be taught by one teacher at Il sal
airy of $40 per month.
Is it not probable under such pro-
visions these primary schools will be
crowded by boys and girls of great
disparity of age and size, and in the
hands OF third rate teachers?
There is such thing as a compe-
tent, first-class teacher managing
sixty pupils in the primary branches,
by an excellent classification of the
pupils, but common teacher can
not do it? Again l ask, should any
but FIRST class teachers be employed
in the primary schools? Can
such teacher, be employed at $40
permonth. The Journal of Education,
st. Louis, says: "The people of
Marshall, Sabine county, Missouri,
have erected a school building, cost
ing $4,000. They pay the primary
teachers $50 per MONTH" In the
free schools of Fort Smith, Ar
kansas, the board employed the best
female teachers in the rooms of the
first and second grades, embracing
classes ranging through first and
second readers, simple combinations
of numbers, and first lessons in oral
geography, paying a salary of $50
per month. In the grammar schools
the maximum number of pupils,
mixed, is at fifty; teachers salary at
$50 per month. Here again may
exist the conditions of too many
pupils for one teacher, and incom-
petent teachers, because the salary
to be paid is only $50 per month, and
the work to be done may be very
hard. The provision for high
schools is better, because the labor
will be lighter and more pleasant, and
the salary, $75 per month, is much
near living rates. Yet only single
teachers can feel that they are max
ing fair support. How can teach
ers who have families, maintain
them with fair degree of indepen-
dency, on salary of $75 per month,
at the outside only $3.50 a year?
The system proposed implies
cheap education, crowded schools
and incompetent teachers, at least
in the lower schools, and is not there
fore likely to be made efficient or
receive general favor.
Still further, it will prove more
or less detrimental to private
schools. Some, it will entirely
break up; from all that continue to
exist, it will draw some pupils, and
in return not be able, perhaps, to
offer superior advantages. To
teachers themselves its tenden-
cies are most unfavorable, be-
cause it will have the effect
of reducing the general COM
pensation of teachers and therefore
lower the profession of teaching.
The system virtually sets limit,
ana a very low one, to what teach
ers shall be paid. Now 1 ask what
Observation-Disclosures who
has respect for him or herself, and
the profession, can be reconciled to
any measures having a tendency to
limit their wages to the pitiful
of $40 and $50 per month
How is it in the legal and medical
professions? Ability and experience
only limit the compensation of law
yers and doctors. They make their
professions pay and grow rich by
them. Is the profession of teaching
of any lower rank Surely not.
Then let competent and experienced
teachers have an open field that they
make at least a respectable living,
or if public free schools are demand
ed, let them be established upon a
generous Sasis, and be well sus-
tanned, ST. that teachers may be
paid good living salaries. Let
teachers who are able to do well in
private schools engage to teach IN
the free schools at $40 and $50 per
and they will find they can
not realize that they are honoring
their own manhood and womanhood
or the profession to which they be-
long. Circumstances may compel
some to teach at such salaries, but
those circumstances will be humiliat-
ing.
A common daily laborer can make
more than $40 month.
Instead of the system proposed for
the city schools, 1 would say, estab-
fish one white and one colored
school in different parts of the city,
and appoint one superintendent
over both who may be also teacher
in the white school, with a salary of
not less than 1925 per month. That
Is little enough for a superln-
tendent. Appoint teachers under
him at salaries running. from
$50 to 800 per month, according
to the different positions they occupy.
Upon such a plan, free schools can
be efficiently conducted, and be suf-
ficient for the wants of all who cam
not well send to the private schools.
and it is best to provide for that
class first. Then there will be an
open way for enough good private
schools to exist and be made profit
able to those who engage in them.
No free school or schools can be
made worthy of the favor and sup
port of the public unless they be
presided over by competent teach
ers, and that class of teachers can be
had only for good salaries. There
fore, either provide generous
free school system or none at all. and
in the place of free schools, let each
county have its fund for the educa-
ton of INDECENT children, and all
can have the privilege eff attending
private schools OF their own choice.
CITIZEN.
THE WEST POINTERs.-The following