The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-06
DON'T CUT SALARIES.
Pay Of Topeka's School Teachers
Too Small Already.
Why TEACH GERMAN And LATIN
To Fifty or IOO Pupils When Thou
sands or Children HHuss Have Poorer
Teachers ON Account of 1t.


sands or Children Must Have Poorer
Teachers ON Account of 1t.
Several mem bers of the board of edu-
cation, among them President R B.
Welch, have announced it as the inten-
ton of the board at its meeting tonight
to make reduction of 10 per cent in the
salaries Of the teachers in the Topeka
public schools. Since this announce
ment was first made it has been practic-
ally decided that the 10 per cent reduc-
ton shall apply only to teachers whose
salaries exceed $50 a month. Those get
ting less than sou Will be subject only to
a 5 per cent reduction.
II is to the interest of good and
efficient schools that this cut should be
avoided if possible. Strict economy and
even stinginess in lines of public school
expense are preferable to cut in the
salaries of the already under paid teach
ers- The efficiency of the schools depends
not upon the equipment of school prop
erty. or the quality of paper, pencils aud
ink furnished free, but upon the ability
of its instructors.
Good teachers are a commodity in
great demand Topeka has her share of
them, and the inducements should be for
them to stay and not for their resigna-
tions. If teachers of the desirable kind
can't command d decent salary in Tope-
ka LD0y Will go Wncr0 In6y can, ana
their places Will have to be filed with
the other sort. In view of the
special training and natural trials neces-
sary to a successful teacher there is no
doubt that there's is underpaid pro-
fession.
There are 100 teachers in Topeka
They are paid only for nine months
out Of the year. Out of their
modest salary they must not
only pay all their living expenses and
buy good clothes, but save enough to
carry them over the long summer vaca-
ton. To all of them this teu or even five
per cent cut will be a hardship. and one
that Will render the school board liable
to lose what talent it has left
The intended cut is to be made, it is
said, as retrenchment measure, i'll the
interest Of economy 1t is said that the
school board has not money enough on
hand 10 carry it through the winter, and
he board must choose between reduc-
ton aud d deficit. There is now about
$x4,OCO in the city treasury for school
purposes, to carry the board until Janu-
airy 1irsL or more than three school
months. The teachers payroll alone is
$1,000 a month, and the salaries Of the
janitors and miscellaneous bills must
also be paid The city treasurer's report
shows that the expenses for the
last fiscal year, not including the
interest account were $4,000.
about $4,000 per month. Thus it
will be seen that the board has third
less money for next term than it requires
TO run the schools on their present basis.
The rest must have been spent last year,
which would Indicate either ignorance
Of the schools financial condition or
somebody's business judgment is at fault
The board should not let the teachers
suffer for it
There is money enough on hand to
pay the teachers with economy on other
lines OF expense, or enough to pay the
miscellaneous bills by cutting the teach
ers' salaries. Let it be the former. If
there must be retrenchment let the pu-
pills furnish their own paper, pencils,
pens and ink for a while. Let there
be economy in the city building. II it
must come to it. do as Des MOines
discharge the high-salaried superin-
tendent and his paid assistant and let the
clerk of the board do what little Of his
business Is necessary. Nearly $4,000 a
year could be saved on this item. Ibis
is not suggested through any dissatisfac-
ton with superintendent Davidson. who
is a most efficient and Obliging officer;
but Mr.. Davidson could afford at this
time to take his old position at the head
of Lincoln school for few months until
the school board gets on its feet again.
If this is not enough retrenchment to
meet the deficit let some of the higher
branches in the high-schOol go. In view
of the fact that only about one in ten of
its graduates are preparing for higher
education. German, advanced Latin and
higher sciences could be dispensed with
until the school board convalesces from
its present state.
The statement Of President WEIGH that
the valuation for this year is less than
last year does not correspond with the
figures given out by II. w. Farnsworth,
the clerk of the board Mir. Farnsworth
says the valuation this year is -$9, 6S2, 225.
of $214, 2S2. This, however, is a decrease
from 1892 Of nearly half million dol
lars The board should not be in haste
to make the cut at their meeting tonight
A careful study of the situation will re-
veal a better way out