The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-12-01
A Correction.

MIR EDIroR: In your issue of Nov. cath. I find
myself inc rrecty reported by your eorrespon-
dent, in his account of the proceedings of the
Hartford Teachers Institute. am reported as
saying (peudng the discussion of the suggestion
ofMr. + p. Smil h. That the pay of the teacher
should be based upon a more equitable basis,
and in advocacy of the resolution offered by Mr.:
+. A. Grown, viz: That the present plan of
grading the teachers salary according to the av-
erage attendance Of pupils is unjust to the teach
ers ana should be abolished and more equitable
plan adopted" '''rhat there would be no harm
at least to vote on the resolution and let the
Roard of School commissioners 'cho Shontd iery
more money for school purposes, and ns Ps0ne know
the sentiments Of the teachers" Now, Mr.. Edi-
itor, the words in italics are not mine, nor is the
sentiment embraced therein for In the first place
the Board o. School Commissioners have no pow
to levy dollar for school purposes, and in
deed. ii they had. do not believe public senti-
ment would Justify them in 50 doing, neither do |
onerous But in view of he fact that we have
amongst us an industry which in the last few
years has grown to immense proportions aud has
added largely 10 the material wealth of the coun
ty, well AS to the comfort and convenience of u
large portion of our people. by aifordlng protta
necessarily requires the labor of many who under
other circumstances might attend the schools
during the fall and succeeding terms, were they
always able to- clothe and feed themselves 10y
other means But canning industry does af-
ford the opportunity to every child TO earn dur
ing the fall months sufficient to enable them to
attend the schools regularly during the succeed
ing terms. And this Is to my mind all the people
of the county are asking for at present. Three
certainly better for child than four terms in
which they miss an average of even one day in
the week. The testimony of teachers and exam
iner was that during the fall term some schools
did not average ten pupils and s,me even less.
Now, what did say was Would 1t n It be bet
ter for the teachers and people that the School
Board should pay the teacher for three terms the
amount spread over four terms Cthe time the Elk
aminer desired schools to be open.) thus insuring
better and more regular attendance on the part
of pupils and better teaching by atfording the
teacher time for recreation and study. and en-
ablin9 him o know for a certainty just how much
lie could earn in a gwen time. without subJectiuR
= his salary TO all such contingencies as lad weai h
erco'ds small pox scares, whnopine coughs &c
al infnitum Even were the salary reduced, lei II
be IL certainty Our Examiner is paid in full even
though he fails to make the legal number of
visits to the schools on account of bad roads O.
The report OF the Board shows that our School
Commissioners receive their pay to the extent
prescribed by law, accident and absences to the
contrary notwithstanding.
The annual statement of the School BOARD
shows receipts to the amount of $4,000 90. OF
which $2i.7l240 or less by S3,OSI "A than on'-half
of the receipts was paid for teachers salaries
The Maryland school report for 1880 shows that
but two counties in the State (AnHe Arundel and
Garrett.l pay smaller average salary than Har-
ford. The average salary in Hartford county for
1880 was $26 II per month. But in Wow of this
fact do nor even understand our teachers to be-
complaining of the amount paid in the aggregate
for salaries But the inequality in which II /:
paid for the same work and the same number oi
hours of employment does not come up to theii
sense of the principles of equity or justice. Thai
teachers salaries are made responsible for con
tingencies and circumstances over which they
can have no possible CONTROL strikes them a:
being singular. at least. That more equitable
methnd Of adjusting teachers salaries can be de
wise by the school Board than the present, the
teachers have n, doubt
Hoping the Board of School Commissioner
with true respect,
]. MARTIN McNABB.