The St. Johns herald., 1896-04-04
GOTHAM PEDAGOGY.
THE LIFE AND DUTIES OF A NEW
 YORK ScHOOLTEACHER.

tions-MaIe Teachers Have Wider Op-
 portunities 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 a 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 a,000 teachers are employed in the pub lie school system of New York whose salaries range from $500 to $1, 900 a year for women, and from $l ,080 to $3, ,- 900 for men. But 1000 is by no means the limit to the financial ambition of a 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 ary of about $4, 900 year. Then there is the superintendent s office itself, with it's handsome pay of $7,000, and it has been the goal toward which scores of educators ill 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 life position. Then the male teachers can look forward to promotion to the City college either as an instructor at sal ary of $2, 500, or full fedged professor at $4, 300.
 There are few of the B male princi- pals in New York's public schools, how ever, who do not get more than their salary of 5000 year. Almost every one 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 $4,000 year out of the school system. The principals of boys schools, of course, have their pick in these choice perquisites, but there are so many addi- tional offices to be filled that under male teachers in the public schools come in for a good round share.
 The four evening high schools alone give employment to 20 or 80 teachers, each of whom gets anywhere from $3 to $6 a night for the additional work. Then there are soma 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 $4O0 or $500 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 $1 300. She starts into the system with a salary of about $500, which is gradually raised until she becomes the principal of girls department of grammar school.
 In order to become 8 schoolteacher in the public schools of New York it is first necessary to get a recommendation from member of the board of education. This enables the candidate to try pre- liminary examination, which, if he IS successful, entities him to be placed up on the eligible list of teachers. After satisfactory work in this capacity for not more than year the candidate se- cures permanent license as teacher in New 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 em- ployment. That depends entirely upon the local board of school trustees. The city is divided into 24 school districts, the schools in each of which are con- trolled by a 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 in the regular line of promotion.
 What has made the school service so attractive to many are the easy hours Nine-tenths of the salary earners in New York get to work at a. ID. and are lucky if they get away by p. m., with half an hour for luncheon. The work of the teacher begins at a. n. and is over, as a rule, by p. m., with an hour for luncheon. Nine -tenths of the salary earners get only 3 weeks out of the 52 in the year for a vacation, and they work 6 days in the week at that. The schoolteachers get vacation of 13' weeks in 52 and draw full pay during that time. Besides this they work only days in the week and have all holi- days. It has been estimated that the schoolteachers of New York work less than 200 of the 365 days in the year.
 If a 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 up at home. The work is not so hard, how ever, or the pay so poor as to induce many to resign. In fact, it has become saying in the system that "school- teachers never die and never resign. "- New York Tribune.