Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-07-07

of the public mind that while the
public school system is IA big thing,
the Cumberland Times is Il bigger
one.
TALK OF branch road from Vale
Summit to Frostburg is rife. This
is accompanied by IL report that the
G. q p. is also reaching for higher
level for "a bran new depot. The
city set on hill grows every year
more and more magnetic. AS the
iron rails reach closer to our door
ways the summer sojourners will
multiply.
1t is difficult to say what all this
gossip is worth. but it is pleasant to
learn that Frostburg is fast becoming
even 50 far an object of booming
consideration.
In the United States Senate Mon
day Mr.. Blair presented petition
from District Assembly No. sc,
Knights of Labor, of Washington,
protesting against the proposed re-
peal in the District appropriation
bill of the
Just rule which requires that female teach
ers doing the same work as male teachers in
the public schools shall have the same pay
The petition also asks
That the appropriation be increased as
to admit Of equal pay to female teachers also
that the number of teachers be largely reduc-
ed, and the general scale of wages raised.
The reason given for making these
requests is stated in the preamble
which declares
That efforts are being made by the school
authorities to strike out the rule referred to.
The newspaper report from which
we quote concludes:
The petition was referred to the appropria-
tons committee.
In this case us above presented the
JOURNAL thinks the petitioners
should have sought the retention Of
the rule only if it provides for equal
pay to male and female teachers Of
equal ability and efficiency.
On the other hand, if the rule pro-
vides for an indiscriminate rate Of
wages to competent and incompetent
alike, it is worse than no rule and
ought to be abolished.
Whether the next request to re-
duce the number of teachers IN order
to advance the general scale of wages
be feasible is problem involved in
the trial Of popular education-,t
scheme which ought to be sustained,
like all other successful paternal de-
signs, by ample appropriations from
the pockets Of the taxpayers. A
public building, for instance, cannot
be erected upou Il sum inadequate to
carry out the plan.
But 1t is not our purpose to discuss
here the economic question involved
in the incident related so much as
to point cut several differences be-
tween Knights Of Labor thought IN
Washington and the proposals Of the
same Noble Order on Georges Greek ;
of consideration of school questions
III the Senate of the United States
and the School Board Of Allegany
county.
There they would load ii teacher
with an unwieldy number of pupils,
and thus impair his efficiency, in
order to pay him more wages, instead
of charging him with the training
of as many only as he can handle
with advantage to all and paying him
as much for better work.
Here the notion has been and is
extant in Noble Order councils that
the number of miners should be en-
larged, the output restricted and the
general scale Of wages reduced. In
other words, an indlscriminate pull
ing down of the just and the unjust,
the thrifty and thriftless. the steady
and unsteady to the same level.
In the Senate, we learn, "the petit
ton was referred to the appropria-
tions committee"
In the AIlegany county School
Board similar paper was squinted
at and declared 'N. G." by a ''non-
patronizing" and childless body be-
cause it came from people like them
selves-S0-called "non-patronS" Of the
schools.
"District Assembly, No. &C, of
Washington" is that famous organ
ization which declared last fall that
"Jackson must not be governor of
Maryland !"
What the School Board of Alle-