South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-06-22
Is the Laborer Worthy of His
Hire.

10 give us sorue space In your paper
Ne propose to offer few thoughts on
the teachers salary; We howev.r feel
well convinced that tho question il a
delicate one on which to write, bu.
without stepping 20 think much abou.
~ or consider the result we will notice
! few OF the many objections tina. are
urged against the teacher getting a sell
AIRY. 1t Is popular doctrine as b.
present day TIA, the teacher is getting
too much pay Efforts have been male
in some OF the districts TO cleo. Boards
of Education that will reduce the teach i.
er's salary TO the mipimum fixed by law.
And IN fact some have run on the prin-
c'pls OF reducing the salary TO SI5 yer
month. Or Course this takes with the
masses OF the voters. especially those
opposed to paying much school AK.
! Now when measures of this kind are
taken against the teachers, we canno,
think II right IL they cit i'm ind ference
and not defend themselves. linen 10
the taxpayer We would say; wha. does
the teacher get for his work that Il. 20
Objectionable? Take the h,rhes, salary
pail the teachers in. our County. this
Is $50 for No. l., $50 for e; and SO
Tor ). The average VI this is Sl5 per
month. Now notice,
The teachers board costs not less than
80 poT month, and in some, places $40,
bot say as This Ieducied non The
$50. leaves Sl7. for this he teaenes %
| days, which, pays atou. "a cents per
day.
Now it is well established fact ,ba,
every occupation In lifs should be self
sustaining. Take tho carpenter, ;au
blacksmith, the miller, tho minister and
others who are dependent on the pub.
nc Tor their support. Tho carpcnter
gets from 81 to 81 per day, tue black
smith gets no less. and perhaps some
| days good deal more. The miller
makes equally IA much a. The former
Two. W!li either of tho above named
enter upua their occupations for less
than "a cents day2 vii, the black.
smith set up his heiiows, anvil, and vice
unless Lc has tho evidence hat Ire viii
make IA ere than II cents day? VIII
the carpenter wiold his SAW and p,ane
for lessy Will The miller cree, hi, mlil
aad grind grain FOR the puhlic unless
tie is sure he wall make a iair livin. at
! its The answer to all thrse in.erroy.
atOiies would bc NO. Yet notwith-
| standing all this the teacher is selrcs rt,
ont from among them and looked up.n
as n parasite That is, ono who spon.
! gcs on Others for his support. Ii co
cciving good salary is evidence Of
! parasites We will Lnd some outside oi
! tic teachers,
Onc Objection urged against the teach
ers Is, that they teach for money. In.
'ieeu This Is a Charge which we shall
neither attempt 10 pa!l;a;e nor deny
| suppose they do. are they worse than
! otherss 1t is true there are faw Who
| follow after the schools FOR the leaves
and i'hos Only, bu. this braves nothing
! PRO or con; for W. can find this class
OK persons everywhere, not only among
| The teachers, 5us elsewhere.
re answer this objection We woul
ask: Why no we raisu more grain than
we needY Why raise cattle, and sheen
aud hogs for sal To get money 10
| support our families. rhls We look
upon as honorable. We coasiier farm.
ing IN tonorable occupation il tic iirst
farmer was murdcTer. We also lhiul
u just az honorable for tho teacher 10
Teach Tor money 10 support himself or
family as to earn Il in auy other way
Another objection to ia teacher iS th.,t
he teaches through tlie winter season
and eats up his earnings ia the summer.
Wei! admitting this TO be tiGe, u bad
case cannot bc made out of It,.
What does The farmer do? lie works
through the summer ani fail AMI eats
I IN Ia tcr,.f
- zoe wOrsc Of TIE tTo! Ohjsctyf may
answer,
AS we nave before said every oaca
pa'ipn Should be selfsa sLainng. Those
OF The teachers who have families do
not receive compensation sGni:icr. ~
sustain them. How many Who have
families get rich teaching? va h1m
many even lay ny money at IL? Sore
get rich. and very few save any money
al it. n the great trouble is, people
10 not IKE to pay money where they
cabuot SEQ the returns immed lately.
The teachers are educating tic Chi.
| dren who are shortly TO take tno places
of their predecessors in the great dra-
ma OF life, filing tic places Of hon.
or and trust committed To them
Tho men Who shape the wood into a
bodies and implements for tue uso OF
man arc paid good wages.
The man who shapes and molls The
metals into tnoir various uses for The
convenience of man is repaid for bis la
bors
The miller who grin Is our grain finds
support Ter his work. Then whv
shou q nsi ha who trains tho MUD, of
he youth of orr land mouldlnt the
characters Of the children into fu-
ture usefuncss, be paid for MS work?
Can our boards OF education look down
upon US and say we are not as dcserv.
ing "a these to whom We have referred?
Dan they, when they meet to FIX the sal
airy OF the teachers. fx our salary nj
lower rate than the law gives TO them?
Can they meet together and say yes.
AID 20 To- fen resolutions. PERHAPS
three hours work, and then reach their
bands into tho scaoolsfund AMI take out
III .n 81 4 & l.