Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-06-22
Our Public Schools.

| OuI 1uDIlC oCHOOiSs
Are the educational interests o
: Butler county progressing? Thit
may appear to some a very strange
and uncalled for query. as it is gener
ally conceded that all along the edu
( cational line the forces are rapidly
pushing forward People are becom
+ ing more intelligent year by year
and as consequence of this they are
taking a greater interest in the educa
tion of their children. A few year:
ago the majority of the people were
satisfied If their children could reaC
and cipher" but now they must b(
taught language, geography, history
and physiology with all the nicetie;
! or distinction and politeness usually
found in cur Academies and Colleges
A few years ago the great majority o
our teachers received all their educa
tion in our common schools, but now
it is the rare exception 10 iud teach
er who has not attended some Norma
School or Academy from one to three
years. The cry has even been tc
raise the standard-to require high
er degree OF scholarship on the part
of the teachers This, we believe, has
been done, aud it is generally admit
ted that the teachers of to-day are
much more proficient in scholarship
and kno W much more concerning their
profession than the teachers of few
years ago. According TO an oficia
statement last year, one out Of every
three applying for u license was not
able to reach the standard, while
something over fifty old teachers were
left behind ia the march of progress.
Teaching that would have been very
acceptable ten or fifteen years age
would not be tolerated now in the
nj ost backward part Of the county
Teachers are now compelled to pre-
pare themselves for the work at not q
little cost.
This all looks very bright to the
friends of progress, but there is an
other feature that is not so enc0urag-
ing to the teacher; while he is com.
PEELED to work up in scholarship and
do much harder work in the school
room, he has not received like ad
vance in his wages. What progress
has Butler County made in regard to
wages in the last few years BY
comparison the school report of 1878
with the report Of 1887, it will be
found that while the average wages
in the State have been increased from
$780, "a per month to S33 Is the wages
in Butler County have decreased
from $33.l1 per month to S3l.94. In
1878 out nineteen counties in the
State paid better wages than did But
Ter County. In 1887, forty nine paid
higher wages In 1878, thirty-four
counties had longer terms, now forty
seven have longer terms. But eight
counties in the State expend less per
month on each pupil than does But
Ter County. la 1878 the average
number of mills levied for school aud
building purposes in this county was
1917. In 1881 it was SAC, The
percentage OF attendance in 1878 was
eighty. la 1887 the average percent
age was eighty six, which plainly
shows that the interest in the public
schools is increasing.
What do these facts and statistics
teach. Manifestly this: First that
this county in the matter of wages
has not been keeping pace with the
other counties of this State Second,
that while the educational sentiment
has steadily been advancing and the
standard of the teachers qualiGca.
tons has steadily been raised, the
wages Of the teachers, instead of be-
ing advanced with his attainments,
has been reduced. Third, that the
teachers Of this county do not receive
on the average, the compensation to
which their education and experience
entities them.
In view of all these facts, what is
the duty of those having our public
schools in charge? 1t is plainly this:
Advance the wages to correspond
with the advancement made along the
other parts of the line. 1t should be
remembered that the average teacher
of Butler County has spent years of
hard work and hundreds of dollars to
prepare himself for teaching; that he
receives work but in six months of
the year; that part of his vacation, at
least, must be spent in attending
school or studying in order that he
NAV not fall behind his progressive
comrades.
1t has been telt for some time by
the leading educators of the State
that in order to keep good teachers in
the profession and enable Others to
become more proficient an advance
should be made in wages. Mainly to
accomplish this end the last Legisla-
ture was induced to appropriate an
extra half.million dollars for the
schools of the State. If this extra
money were applied directly to the
teachers wages, it would make an
advance per month of about three and
one-half dollars Have not the teach
ers of this county right to expect
this
The teachers are not insensible to
the fact that some advantages have
been secured to them. The legal
school month has been shortened and
they now receive wages while attend
ing the Annual Institute, yet the ad-
vantages are trivial when compared
with the general progress in the pro-
tession.
Again, can any school board in the
county, as a matter of economy, afford
to pay low wages? Will it be denied
that bright teacher of 5 or years ex
perience is cheaper at forty dollars per
month, than one of poor ability or in
experienced at thirty dollars per
month? Take, for instance, the exper
ence of two townships in this county
during the last year No. | has eight
schools. 1t had a continuous term of
six months and paid thirty five dollars
per month OF the eight teachers
three held professional certificate; one
held o permanent certificates;the other
four were teachers Of established rep
utation who held provisional certiti-