Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-02-06
all. PAY Of r.bils SOB. 1taeh*rs


MIR. EDIToR-I see in your last
issue, Mr.. j. D. Parsons tries to ex-
plain the non-professional and unjust
discrimination made against the
teachers of Accomac, as compared
with what is conceded to be the law
and is the custom in other counties
of this G Commonwealth Except North
ampton county, and in many other
States of the Union. I thank him
for his reference to "Section 302 of
the Regulations of the Board of Edu-
cation, Page 1873 of the School Law of
Virginia. / must say had read it
prior to his advice. accept the
quotation and claim it's benefits. A
right conception of the school law,
then just and unprejudiced appll-
cation, is all I ask for the profession.
That we contract with the District
Trustees and not the County Board.
is a fact to be noticed. The County
Board cannot be substituted for, or
do the business of our District
Boards. How many District Trus-
tees were in the County Board meet
ing May SOth, 1887, when this action
was taken? From my knowledge of
the men who are District Trustees, l
do not believe they will be willing to
establish precedent against the
teachers OF this county, contrary to
the law rs interpreted and applied
by DR.. w. H. Ruffner, R. R. Farl and
the Hon. John E. Massey, who is our
present excellent and efficient State
Superintendent. Certainly we all
lose pay for the time we lose from
school. But when the County Super
intendant orders us not to teach for
q week, the pay for that week be-
longs to us, because by virtue of his
Office that week is to us legal holi-
day. We are hired by contract for
so much per month for session of a
certain number of months, and if the
County Superintendent thinks best
to suspend the schools for ono week
at Xmas there is nothing to counte-
nance taking it from our wages, but
But suppose the County BOARD had
the legal right to declare that ore
week during the session the teachers
we're not to teach. Then nndoubted-
ly that week would be legal holt
day, and the County Board would
repudiate it's own declaration when
it refused to pay its teachers. The
very school law that Mr.. Parsons
cited to me says that, "such days as
may have been declared by Board of
School Trustees, to be legal holidays"
the teachers shall not lose their pay.
Mr.. Parsons says, that ''prior to 1887
there was no uniformity in this coun-
tv as to what should be considered
legal Holidays 1t was my pleasure
to be connected with the schools OF
my county for nine or ten years be-
fore that date, and I know something
about schools, during the period to
which the writer refers. This ques-
ton of holidays under DR.. W. ID.
Ru.fner and R. R. Farr was settled
by the District Trustees, where 1t
properly belongs now, as will here
after show upon the best authority
in this State. Prior to 1887 in this
county, the customary holidays were
considered by the District Boards to
be legal school holidays, and the
teachers pay was not deducted for!
the week at Christmas. appeal to
the District Trustees of this county
and to the County Superintendent
for just application of the law, for
that honor and that respect that
fair and impartial Interpretation of
this school law guarantees to the
profession. This much for the noble
men ard women who are now teach
ing in this county.
Respectfully,
G. g. JoYNEs.