The herald., 1893-01-18
THAT REDUCTION OF SALARIES

Compensation of High School Teachers
Here as Compared with Elsewhere.
The motion made by Mr.. Buehler, in
the board of education last Monday
night, to put back the salaries of the
high school teachers to the old figure
which prevailed prior to the closing ses-
sion of the old board, has created some
comment in educational circles, and,
feeling it to be matter of general i'm
port, HERALD reporter was sent out to
make inquiry as to the merits of the
case. He went first to the office of the
city superintendent of common schools,
but Mr.. Freisner was not in, 30 he had
few words with Mr.. Baker, the chief
clerk of the office.
Mr.. Baker, you were not present at
the meeting on Monday night, at which
Mrs. Hughes denied that the outgoing
board had increased the salaries OF the
high school teachers In reply to Mr..
Buehler, she said that reduction had
been made for the sake OF economy
about year ago, and the board merely
put them back to where they stood be-
fore the reduction was made. Is that
correct?"
"Yes," replied Mr.. Baker, that is
all correct in the main, The teachers
had been hired at certain figure and
their wages had been scaled off before
the expiration Of the year for which
they had been hired. Mrs. Hughes
resolution merely put them back to the
old figure"
did Mrs. Hughes or any other mem
ber of the old board know that there
was large deficiency in the school
funds at the time they put the salaries
back to the old figure?"
"Oh yes, Mr.. Friesner had notified
them that there would be a large def
cheney, although he did not then be-
lieve it would go as high as $1O,OOO,"
said Mr.. Baker.
This was all the reporter wanted to
know. He then went in search of Mrs.
Hughes, who was chairman of the teach
ers' committee in the old board. The
lady WAS seen at her cosy mansion in
st, James park, and, on the reporter
making bis business known, the lady
said:
"You see we had shrinkage in val
ues here several years ago, and diff
Guilty in the collection of taxes for all
sorts Of purposes In course of time
this shrinksge affected the schools as
well as anything else, as the number of
school children was constantly on the
increase, while the money for the cup
port of the schools was as constantly
diminishing in amount. About q year
ago the board resolved to economize in
every possible way and 30 reduced the
salaries of all the high school
teachers except the principal and the
music teacher. Several of these teach.
ers were offered better salaries to 60
elsewhere but many of them had
acquired pleasant homes here and did not
care to leave. Those who stayed by us
were assured that whenever it could be
1one their wages would be put back to
the old standard; and hence all of
them, 80 far as know, have rendered
as good service for the reduced compen-
sation as for their original salaries.
Hence the retiring board felt that as
they had worked nearly Is months at q
scale of compensation 20 per cent lower
than they could have gotten elsewhere,
they were fairly entitled to have their
salaries put back to the standard of
1890. Do You believe in cheap teach
ere ?" asked the lady.
The reporter replied he did not; he
one of those things in which that which
is compensated the least is paid for the
most.
Every WE'LL" continued Mrs. Hughas,
Il am not afraid to 60 on record in this
matter. l believe in getting the best
teachers one can get, more especially in
high school, which requires extra
care and study to qualify one for the
position of a teacher. You get cheap
teachers and your children come out of
school knowing a little of everything
and a good deal OF nothing. But if you
want your children thoroughly schooled,
you must get teachers who have under
gone the requisite preparatory discipline
themselves. Mr.. Kierulff, DR.. Boal and
other gentlemen on that board were of
the same opinion as myself as regarded
the reduction of salaries as only tenn
porary. Hence they voted on the laet
night of the old board to put them back
to the old scale. The present board is
composed of men having no experience
in any such matters; and one or two of
its members are there purely from mo-
tives of speculation. Time will show
whether they or the old board most had
the interest of the schools at heart"