The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-25
The Poor Pay of Teachers.


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The Poor Pay of Teachers.
The salaries paid to the public school
teachers in this city compare favorably
with those paid for similar work in
corresponding cities in the state. Sew
eral months ago, in demonstration Of
this assertion, we printed comparative
statistics, which are, unluckily, not
accessible at this instant; but it will
not, we fancy, need prolonged pres
entation of figures to secure general
acceptance Of our proposition. So
that, when criticism is made upon the
paucity of the pay doled out to those
earnest and able men and women who
comprise the vast majority of the in
structOrs Of our youth, it will be under
stood that there is no intention to re-
fleet upon the present members Of the
local board of control, but rather upon
the broad system which seems to re-
gard as Of minor worth the work done
IN the public school rooms.
A prominent Scrantonian, engaged
in certain branch of commerce, re-
Gently remarked within our hearing
that he had, upon that day, Cleared
$1,000" The element of chance or
luck may be argued in this mans be-
half; but it would still remain the fact
that with scarcely more than average
attainments and with certainly not
more than the average school teachers
faithfulness to duty, this gentleman
had, as consequence of one days
trading, prolited more largely than
five average male TEACHERS Of equal
ability would, together, profit from Il
whole years cxacting mental work in
the school room Even in the case Of
the sa!aried men in the other learned
professions it remains true that the
average wage is much higher than in
the case of the pedagOgue. The men
who earn $1,000 and $4,000 and even
Si,OOOper yearin our city rs architects,
engineers, clergymen, physicians, at
torneys, dentists, ETC., ere much more
numerous than are the teachers who
receive $1,000 and $500 a year; and
they DO not work harder nor do more
nor better work than is done by the
teachers.
We were amused not long ago when
an employer of teachers in this city
told us that out Of hundreds of appli-
cations received by him for positions
III the faculty of a private school, not
one had presumed to ask more than
81 COO year for his services; while the
great majority had asked decidedly
less, This gentleman seemed TO regard
it as particularly notable feature Of
his own experience that he had once
paid $40 n month to an instructor from
whose attentive services he had largely
been enabled to accumulate an indie
pendent fortune. Yet had this gen
tleman gone to a lawyer for advice, a
physician for medicine, a clergyman
for spiritual consolation, a dentist for
relief from pain or to an architect for
plans of a house, he would have
thought nothing of having paid twice
or thrice as much money for the same
grade of service. Still, the molders of
brain and character, who do their work
upon the pupil in manner that often
carries with it the determination of
the pupils success or failure in life,
are content to beg for the pennies and
the dimes, while the other fellows get
the dollars and the eagles.
Discerning an evil and curing it are
two different things. We do not pre-
tend to know how teachers, as class,
can get more pay. We only know
that they are underpaid; and that their
easy acquiescence in this depreciative
rating is responsible in a large degree
for the meagreness Of their wages 1t
is well that teachers should give their
whole work to teaching. The Jack-of-
all-trades is master of none. But when
the teacher gives his whole mind and
soul and ambition and future to the
dry routine of the school room, it
would be fair to give to the teacher in
return wages commensurate with his
work, wages that will enable him to
feel repaid for his toll.
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THIS CITY has had few officials
more faithful, modest, unassuming
and conscientious than was Harry h.
Madison. He was q man who did his
whole duty in all capacities; loyal
and warm hearted friend, an obedient
son and one of natures genuine noble