The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-14


analre OF the State Agricultural School
at Kingston, "thc amount OF compensa-
tion paid each professor and employe has
been known heretofore only to the board OF
managers. " The interesting figures were,
however, reluctantly given to the investi-
eating committee with the request that
the public be not informed as to them
because il publicly used they "might cause
jealousy among the different members OF
the teaching force"
The committee upon looking over the
salary list reported THAT it ''seemed very
large for the size and work of the insti-
tuition and in some cases the number OF
general services rendered by professor
seemed very light"
This inference 10 certainly borne out by
the figures.
The salary list at Kingston for the year
1895 amounts to grand total OF s3o,5S6-
nothing but salaries, this.
Now let us look In the latest report, that
for 1895, and discover how many students
there were at Kingston.
There were 12l, including 20 "specials"
and IA "specials in wood carving" who
go to the school for instruction requiring
a few hours per week.
In the four classes presumably taking
the regular course in the freshman, sopho-
more, junior and senior year, there were
exactly 90 pupils--A freshmen, 22 sopho-
mores II Juniors, seniors. Besides these
there are catalogued, 8 graduates"
and "post graduates" We are unable to
learn from the report how much OF bur
den these two latter classes Of students are
upon the faculty.
At all events, the school claims i21
students getting some sort OF instruction
on Kingston Hill. to secure which in
struction and the performances OF miscell-
aneous duties necessary to the college,
$50, $50 in salaries was paid. II we take
from this the cost OF the miscellune-
Gus help we lind that the salaries OF pro-
fessors and instructors alone amounts, as
nearly as we can figure ii to about s27, 600.
In a word 1t cost i'm salaries alone
s27, ,0Oo to give one years instruction to
121 pupils OF all classes last year.
What this stupendous top heaviness
means We may judge by comparing the
salary list with that of some OF the pub
lie schools of the city Of Providence. As
near as may be judged, we should say the
Rhode Island Agriculture College under
takes to furnish an education graded
somewhere adjacent to the upper gram
| mar or lower high grades OF the city
schools. Now the principal OF the Provi-
denoe High School which furnishes far
superior course than does this pretentious
"college" at Kingston gets exactly the
same salary as DIR. JOHN HOSEA WASH
BURN, president OF the Kingston College,
and the whole salary list OF the high
school is sSs, ,59s.as. But the force OF
teachers at the Providence High school
have under their charge over eleven
hundred pupils as against the pitiap bic i21
young persons who are receiving the ben
efits of the States wasteiul efforts at
Kingston.
But to compare the Kingston institu.
tion with our Providence High school is
all out of reason. Something OF the mag
nisude OF salaries in proportion to results
may be better Understood by matching
them with those OF our grammar schools.
A grammar school master In Providence
receives salary OF $1,000. He ought to
have more but that is oil he gets. There
Is no reason TO believe that DIR. WASH
BURN at Kingston is capable OF taking
the position OF even first assistant in one
OF our grammar schools. He has neither
the capacity nor the education to at him
for so high position. But as president
OF the State "college" at Kingston he
receives $500 year. In the Doyle avenue
grammar school are 705 pupils, a good
many OF whom could give DR.. wAsHBURN
points of advantage to his own education.
But the salary list for teaching these
seven hudred OF our students Is only s1,,.
996.si. II we contrast that with the s27,-
600 paid In salaries to instructors OF
l2l pupils we arrive at the significance
OF school teaching as enjoyed on Kings
ton Hin. Why, aside from the presi-
dent, there Is a professor of agriculture