The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-07-29
MANUAL rnA1NrNa souooL {.

\
Remarks of Thomas #. o,Donnell, Mem
| Der of tho Board of Education From
| the Tenth Ward, Mt Meetingof the
4 Board July FL. 1891.
Mr.. President, this board through
the report OF the committee on teach
ers are about TO raise the salaries OF
the teachers of the grammer and pri
mary schools, ranging from $500 C
$500. Now, Mr.. President cannot Sc,
why the committee on teachers did no
make a change in the salaries of tho
young ladies' who have 10 teach veal
lat q salary of $500. | don't think il
Just or right for the committee orthis
board not to recognize those ladies
who have to give three months OF theii
time in the training school before they
lcan get n position MS teachers in ON
schools, and they are at all times ready
to assist as substitutes in the places Of
any of the teachers who may be taken
sick OF otherwise prevented from at
tending to their regular duties us
teachers.
Do not the laws of this board require
tho young ladies to give three months
lin the training school before they can
become teachers? Are they not sup.
posed to be competent to perform the
duties of teachers when their positions
are assigned them2 II this be so, why
mot raise the salary from $500 TO 1856
for the first year? ! think for my
part, as this Is all true, why cannot we
recognize these young ladies' by rails
ing the salnl les for the first year from
$500 to S3652
Now, Mr.. President, have the high
est regard for the instructors in the
Manual Training School, and wish to
state right here. TINT as amember OF
THE Board of Education, or out Of 1t. /
have always been in favor of the work
ing-men receiving the highest wages
for the labor they have to perform,
and will state here that the mechanics
and laboring men of our city are not
receiving compensation enough for
the work they have to perform, at the
rate Of 10 hours q day or sixty hours a
week.
If they ask for half day on Satur-
day they are either refused the half
day, or IL granted to them, they are
compelled to make it up by going to
work at half past six O'Clock and half
Ipast twelve o'clock at noon to make up
the time lost, and il they do not make
up the time, they arc compelled to ac-
cept reduction in their wages at the
END of the week. Now, Mr.. President,
| cannot, taking all OF these facts into
consideration, feel compelled, and in
Justice to the tax payers Of this city,
will not vote or sanction the raise OF
THE salaries OF the instructors of the
Manual Training School. l know the
argument will be set forth that these
men are capable of imparting the
knowledge TO the boys OF the training
lschool. That is all right. That Is the
cause OF their holding their positions
at the present time, but should those
men die or resign their positions,
would not the committee have to get
other men In their plaees2 Will this
argument stand?
l claim that there arc men in
our city who are as competent as
those men are and who would be glad
to accept tho position at $500 per year.
land who arc equally as competent az
these three men are and who have To
work from Monday morning until
Saturday night in our work shops for
less pay than these men arc getting
who only do actual work of about
flour or five hours per day, commenc.
ling at 0 O'Clock in the morning and
'closiug at half past o'clock in the af-
1ternoon, and they have two months OF
vacation in the summer, and all the
holidays in the year that are granted
to the schools. Now, Mr.. President,
\ these are facts which cannot be denied.
'lLet those men go back to the firms
they left, and i can tell you they
would not get any moro wages than
some SIS per week. These men claim
that they can get higher salaries. Il
this be so, why don't they takt
1 those positions? can hardly credi
the saying that they can get other pc
'lsitions in other cities at higher wages.
II this be so. skilled mechanics must b6
livery scarce in those cities.
/ Now, Mr.. President, in concl usion,
! shall shy that the manual training
school Is not in the proper place as
,claim il should have been placed in the
grammar schools, so that all the boys
would have an opportunity to be in.
structed in the arts of manual train
ing. We all know the vast majority of
the boys go as fan as the grammar
schools, as their parents arc not able
ito give them high course but are
put into the work shops to learn a
trade. But hope the day is not far
distant when all the boys who will not
Do able to take high school course,
WIN NC dSheu W Nlo bbdIu Vi iAuucH-
ton to spend a few hours in the after.
noon in the manual training school,
so that when they leave to learn a
trade they will have some knowledge
before they go into the shops.
/ would urge upon the board taking
this into consideration at the earliest
possible moment, so that we can give
Iour instructors more to do in the day
at the rate Of $500 per year and it will
the schoolbut the many. Ihopethis will
lcome very soon.