The record-union., 1893-02-23

the haif-day is long enough. But in
order that school patronage may be
stretched to its fullest limit, and the larg-
est number of clamorous applicants be
given places, system has grown up of
providing separate teacher on half-pay
for each halliday class, instead of having
one full-paid teacher instruct two half
day classes.
Let us see what this system results in.
The law demands and we defy any one
to point out any unwisdom in it-that the
best, or as good as the most approved
teachers shall be placed over the youngest
pupils. This law, which says in unmis-
taxable English that such teachers shall
be paid the highest salary allowed in the
upper grammar grades, is fatty snubbed
! by the Board of Education. Just how the
members accommodate their consciences
to their oaths on that head we do not
know. One of them, of an earlier board,
did once attempt to whip this legal devil
around the statutory stump by explain
ing that the halliday pay is at the rate
required by the law, and the pay is for
the actual service rendered on that basis;
hence the spirit OF the law is observed.
But when he said it, the director smiled
despite himself.
The practice, therefore, first, violates
the law; second, it enkindIes ambition to
get out Of that teaching class into one that
is full paid; it, therefore, third makes the
teacher discontented when she or he
ought to be encouraged to remain in the
work Of iniantile instruction, which is the
plain purpose of the law. Therefore,
fourth, the intantile pupils do not receive
the service of the best teaching ability, or
of the best devotion to the teaching Office.
This is the plain unvarnIshed truth, to
which it must be added, that as the half
day teacher system gives room for spread
ing patronage butter over more bread, it
is the favorite of the political boss.
We do not for one moment impugn the
motives Of the directors. On the contrary
we understand their position and believe
in their faith in our schools; weappreciate
the pressure to which they are subjected,
and realize that they are as are other
creatures, of human stuff and that in
continuing the obnoxious system, they
have very good reason for saying that
they represent their constituency.
But constituencies need very often to
be taken up and out OF ruts and groves.
The directors know perfectly well that if
they changed to the better system to-
morrow, the parents of the infants would
not come to them complaining. We
grant that the politicians and the friends
of applicants, and the friends of those
whom consolidation would displace,
would come complaining. But this would
be only a temporary matter, one the di-
rectors ought to have the courage to face,
and the far-sightedness to see will be
speedily transformed into plaudits and
commentator along the whole line.
For that teacher for whole day un-
der whole pay will do better work than a
teacher for halliday under half-pay is
proved by the open and expressed desire
of every one of the half-paid teachers to
get out of the position into one COM
manding full pay.
If the entire group of halliday teachers
should come forward and deny this state
ment with uplifted hands, they would
subject themselves TO the liability of be-
ing contradicted by proofs of their own
contrary expressions.
Our correspondent is right, the present
system "multiplies political places, di-
vides the value of services rendered, re-
suits in encouragement to teachers and
undoubted injury to those taught