Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-07

experienced in teaching, a combination Of
good qualities which the schools of Wash
ington never enjoy unless specially fortu-
nate teacher is SO situated as to be able to
pay.
Boston has raises1s72. 600 for her teach
ers; Brooklyn. $4,000, and Philadelphia.
$4,000 Both st. Leuis and Cincinnati have
also raised large sums, and in Chicago each
teacher is required 10 contribute one-fourth
Of per cent Of salary received to a pen
sion fund. a.
After fifteen years of teaching, the pub
lie instructors of Germany are pensioned
and the WORKOUT educators of Switzerland
Norway and Canada are also given recon-
pense. "a
Why Such Assistance is Given.
1t has been asked why should help be
given to teachers that is not afforded doc
tors, lawyers and merchants? In answer a.
leading official connected with the schools
has answered with two reasons 1.-THE
fact is" he says, women engaged in BUSH
ness careers do not cast from themselves
as they should the ordinary domestic du-
ties, but burn the candle at both ends, and
hence break down, and that the very fact
that the business woman does not expect
to make new family ties binds closer about
her the obligations which already exist.
Another reason for providing for aged
and infirm teachers is more grave than the
first. The welfare of our future citizens
depends upon our boys and girls having
healthy surroundings both moral and ply
scal A consumptive teacher vitiates the
air of school room, none too pure at the
best, whatever the Ventilating system, and
spreads about her the germs of disease to
take root, as modern microscopic investiga-
ton proves wherever lasstude or de-
pleted condition renders the soil suitable
"And nowhere are lassitude and general
frpOupnt in mid w
growing child from twelve to sixteen years
of age-the age at which our children at
tend schools taught by the older and less
vigorous teachers. If the health depart
tomorrow for the purpose of graduating
consumption as 1t does smallpox or diph-
iberia, considerable percentage of teach
ers, whose record for past service entities
them to the gratitude Of the public, would
be forcibly retired to private life and
perjury.
Benefit to the Pupil. a.f
1.-The mental and moral evils consequent
upon inadequacy in a worn out teacher are
still worse, as every high school teacher
can testify. From men and women whose
past service entities them to every respect
full consideration-except retention in the
places for which the very Intensity of past
occupa ton renders them unfit-come trans
fers totally unfit for the work of the next
grade. And, as rule, the higher the grade
the greater the percentage Of such teachers
1.-The pupils of these sc hools may love
and respect their instructors. but the temp
tation to deceive where the pedagosues
eyes are too dim to watch ears too dull
to hear, or mental agility too feeble to de-
tect, is too much for most young people.
and hence habits of deception are some
times formed which mar the character of
the pupil for life A trustee asserted a
few years ago: Yes. 1 know that all the
children who pass through Miss Blank
hands lose in scholarship what can never
be made up to them, and that many of
them drop out of the schools never to re-
turn because of her inadequacy for the
place she holds. Yet, were 1 to dismiss her
tomorrow thousands of friends gained when
she was an able teacher would rise in her
behalf to push me from my seat"