Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-21
DISCOUNT ON BRAINS.
How Our Public School Teachers
are U~stsrpald,
Simply Because They are Ladies' Clever
Piece Of GeneraIship Views Of
Member Of the School
Board.

A very pretty ARRAY, in . parliamentary
sense, was nipped in the bud, at the meet
ing of the Board of Education, on Thurs
day night, by the superior generalship OF
the weaker side. This was on the question
of salaries. For some time back, the teach
ers of the intermediate departments have
been e~ndeavoring to secure an increase.
They receive $3.50 per month and in a Pc
tition addressed to the Board, gave very
conclusive reasons why their salaries
should b. increased. The matter had
been canvassed by one of the members,
who, by dint of vigorous
counting of noses, ascertained a majority
of the Board favored the increase. But
when the question of salaries was up, the
minority ~outgeneraled the majority ana
rushed the old salaries through. a recon.
sideration was afterward attempted but
failed, owing to a m%isruling by the chair:
The deciding vote was not recorded and
therefore Dr. Pipes motion to reconsider
should have been entertained, no matter
how he voted. However, the chair ruled
differently and refused to entertain.
Yesterday a REGISTER reporter met a
member of the Board and engaged him In
conversation on this subject. Said he:
There's no use talking about it, the
teachers in the A and B divisions are I'M.
derpaid, when their work is taken into con-
sideration. They receive S3S so a month
and should get $45. 1t is not every lady
who can teach successfully. and when good
ones are obtained they should be held on
to-"
why did you not so argue before the
Board?" 8,
"By George! They pushed right on and
I didn't get a chance to. Now the point l
make is this. The grammar room teachers
were Jumped from $4 to $50. IL they are
worth $50, the intermediate teachers should
have $45. The division isn't equitable and
should be made so. There are certain men
in the Board who religiously fight any in.
crease, on principle, without waiting to see
whether it is not deserved
''Can you not convince them
"Weli the fact OF the matter is they
don't know enough about teaching ana
teachers work to understand this thing.
Now, here is another plan. Ii they won't
paw out any more than 80 much, in total,
Il should be better distributed. The gram
mar room teachers should be cut down
and the others pulled up. This would be
much more fair and ought to be done.
The A and b divisions should have Si5,
and the c and d should get $40
After a moments reflection the public
educator said:
"a mistake is made here in making no
distinction between new and experienced
teachers. One gets the same as the others,
and it should not be. In other cities they
do better. When a new teacher goes on
she receives so much the first year. Next
year she gets an increase, and so on untll
the maximum is reached. That is the
plan after all. And | see another fault in
our system, too"
And that is
''In the selection of teachers. 1t is not
always the lady who knows text books and
can pass the finest examination that makes
the best teacher-not by a great deal. How
ever, ! do not think just now OF a plan to
remedy it and will say no more about 1t"