Rock Island Argus., 1896-01-13
GOTHAM PEDAGOGY.
THE LIFE AND DUTIES OF A NEW
YORK scHooLTsAcHER.

tion-Advantases Over Other Occupa.
tions-Msle Teachers Have Wider On
portunitics Than the Women,
Everything taken into consideration,
there are few public offices in the CITY of
New York which are more desirable
than those within the public school sys-
tenn. From almost every point of view
the life of schoolteacher is desirable
one IN this city. The pay is good, the
promotion tolerably rapid, the work not
onerous, and the hours are better than in
almost any other field of labor. About
1000 teachers are employed in the pub
lie school system Of New York whose
salaries range from 5000 to 1900 a
year for women, and from 81, ,0SO to So
600 for men. But So, 200 is by no means
the limit to the financial ambition Of
New York schoolteacher. On the part of
the men there are several greater prizes
within their reach if they have the prop
er qualifications and can secure the right
influence in the board of education. For
instance, there is the Office of assistant
superintendent of public schools, of
which there are ten, each drawing a sal
'ry OF about 81, 600 "a year. Then there
Is the superintendent office itself, with
its handsome pay of $1,000, and it has
been the goal toward which scores of
educators IL this and other cities are
constantly keeping their eyes. Both the
offices of assistant superintendent and
superintendent are filled absolutely by
the board of education. The assistant
superintendent is elected for two years,
and, as "a matter of practice, has a life
position. Then the male teachers can
look forward to Il promotion to the CITY
college either as an instructor at a sal
AIRY Of 81, 500, or full fledged professor
at ::4, 500.
There are few Of the SO male princi-
pals i'll New York's public schools, how
ever, who do not get more than their
salary of $4,000 year. Almost every
ono Of them gets some little additional
pay, as $500 or $500 year for extra
service as an instructor in the evening
schools or as clerks of the ward board of
school trustees. Some Of the principals
hold both Of these little plums and make
- clear $1,000 4 year ont of the school
system. The principals of boys schools,
of course. have their pick in these choice
perquisitcs. but there are so many addi-
tional offices to he filled that under male
teachers i'll the public schools come in
for good round share.
The fonr evening high schools alone
give employment TO 20 or 30 teachers,
each of whom gets anywhere from So to
so night for the additional work.
Then there are some 23 boards of school
trustees, each of which has its clerk.
who gets pay for the amount of work
done. the average mounting up to S4OO
on 5000 year. Nearly all these clerks
are principals of some schools.
In the case of women schoolteachers
the chances for earning extras are very
limited. The maximum salary she can
get is 81 900. She starts into the system
with "a salary Of about 5000, which is
gradually raised until she becomes the
principal Of a girls department Of a
grammar school.
In order tn become q schoolteacher in
the public schools of New York it is first
necessary to get "a recommendation from
Il member of the board of education.
lIminary eNamisiation, which. if he is
successful, entities him to be placed up
on the eligible list of teachers. After
satisfactory work i'll this capacity for
not more than year the candidate Sc
cures a permanent license AS q teacher
in Now York's public schools. and as
such is entitled to teach in any part of
the city.
This does not mean necessarily that
the teacher will Immediately find en-
ployment. That depends entirely upon
| the local board of school trustees. The
city is divided into % school districts,
the schools i'll each of which are con-
trolled by school board, who are ap-
pointed by the board Of education. The
boards have the selection of all teachers
below the grade of principal. these be-
ing appointed by the board of educa-
tion. As rule, however. the licensed
teacher soon finds an opening and then
Is III the regular line of promotion.
What has made the school service so
attractive to many arenfhe easy hours.
Nine-tenths of the salafy yearners in New
, York get to work at a. III. and are
lucky IL tiltE get away Dy d p. m, with
half an hour for luncheon. The work of
the teacher begins at . a. m. and is over.
Is rule, By 3 p. m, with an hour for
| luncheon. Nine-tcnths of the salary
earners get only 2 weeks ont of the so
| i'll the year for vacation, and they
worl. d days in the week at that. The
schoOlteachers get vacation of l3
weeks i'll 52 and draw full pay during
that time. Besides this they work only
D days in the week and have all holi-
days. 1t has been estimated that the
| schoolteachers Of New York work less
than 200 of the 500 days i'll the year.
Ii schoolteacher is to rise in the
calling, however. the work does not end
with school hours. Studies IN pedagogy
and advanced education must be kept M
AT home. The work is not so hard, how
/ ever. or the pay so poor as 10 induce
many tn resign. In fact, it has become
n saving in the system that school
| teachers never die and never resign. -
| New York Tribune
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