The morning call., 1894-04-27
GREAT ALARM PREVAILS.
Agitation Extends Throughout
the Department.
STATEMENTS OF THE DIRECTORS.
Clinton, Carew, Culver and Dunn
Will Oppose the Reduction.
Hyde's Position.

Teachers of this city are greatly worried
over a prospective reduction in their saia-
ries, to take effect June l. For the past
week the matter has been discussed with
increasing anxiety. The statement was
circulated among the teachers that f. A.
Hyde, president of the board, had planned
to reduce the expenses OF the School De-
partmeut by a cut in salaries. 1t is stated
that the prospective schedule scales the
salaries of principals down Is per cent
and reduces the pay of assistants TO $50 a
month.
1t is made the duty of the Board OF Edu-
cation annually in May to fix he salaries
for the school year beginning with the fol
lowing June.
It is quite usual for the Committee on
Salary to prepare a schedule Of what the
teachers are TO receive as compensation
for their services, which is then reported
to the full board for action, though no
member of the board is inhibited from
sending in his OWN salary schedule.
4 new schedule will have to be made out
next month. The teachers. or many OF
them, believe that they have learned what
that schedule is in advance, and are very
rating of their services.
The Salary Committee of the present
board is composed of Directors Clinton,
Carew and Dunn. Both Clinton and
Carew express themselves as opposed to
any reduction in salaries. f. A. Hyde.
who as president of the Board of Educa-
ton becomes one of the Committee on
Salaries, ex-officio, is the one whom the
teachers profess to fear.
1t is reported that four directoTs-Culver,
Carew. Clinton and Dunn-will oppose any
reduction in salaries.
DR.. Clinton, who is the chairman of the
Committee on Salaries, which is sup
posed to prepare and recommend for
adoption the schedule of salaries for each
fiscal year, was seen at his Howard-street
residence in regard to the contemplated
cutting down of salaries. He did not ap-
pear surprised when informed that a
movement was on foot to ma Ike reduction.
You may say for me, as chairman of
the Committee on Salaries, that | am un-
slterabiy opposed to any shaving of the
teachers salaries. The Committee on
Salaries is supposed to have charge of the
regulation Of department salaries for each
year as far as recommendations to the
board are concerned. These recommends
tions are usually made in May and June
Thus far, no meeting of the Salary Com
mittee has been held to arrange schedule.
LAS far as / am concerned the present
schedule Of salaries is satisfactory, and if
the matter rests with the committee / do
not think that any substan tial changes will
be made"
"Haye you heard of any movement to
reduce salaries ?" was asked of DR.. Clinton
YES" he replied. 81 have heard the
rUmOr from several sources. and l under
stand that there is scare in the depart
ment over the matter. A number of
teachers have talked to me on the subject"
Have you heard of any meeting being
held to consider the matter9"
No, but several directors talked to me
about a proposed reduction. They said
there was an inequality of salaries which
should be properly regulated, and that an
attempt would be made to do So"
did this apply to the general body of
teachers or to the prlncipals?" was in
CURED.
''As far as l gathered there was dis
satisfaction in regard to the payment of
those higher in authority. especially in the
outside districts, some principals receiving
SO a month more than Others There
seemed to be a disposition to cut down
those who were receiving the higher
salary.
This was as far the Directors talk
went. From outside sources l heard that
there would be an attempt to cut down
the teachers salaries on the whole from
10 to 10 per cent. How this shaving of
salaries would be regulated l cannot say.
It is simply rumor, and as chairman OF
the salary committee l know nothing of it
officially. Ii the salaries are reduced il
will tend to drive talent from the DEPART
ment. All ] can say is that am informed
that an attempt will be made to reduce
salaries in some way, but The reduction
will not come from the salary committee.
but will be the work OF the other Directors
who may have votes enough to have their
own way"
School Director Carew, who is also a
member of the Salary Committee. when
questioned said:
Yes. have heard of this matter of re-
ducing the teachers salaries, and l am
emphatically opposed to it. Ny attention
was first called to 1t by several teachers
who are generally we'll informed on de-
partment affairs. AS far as l can learn
the rumor has spread through the various
schools and has produced e profound
scare. No later than to-day / heard sew
eral teachers talking of the contemplated
reduction. AS far as l can learn the
movement is based on economy. though l
do not see any reason for it in this
direction. l was specially invited
to a meeting which was held ON
Wednesday afternoon by President HYDE.
but did not attend. The letter read that
questions would be discussed that could
be more agreeably settled than at public
session. Officially, do not know of any
effort to reduce salaries. but the various
rumors I have heard and the general scare