The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-13

i portunities Than tho Women.
F.; 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 q 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 |
1900 teachers are employed in the pub |
lie school system Of New York whose |
salaries range from 5000 to 81, 900
year for women, and from 81 $50 to 49,
600 for men. But $4,000 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
or 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 O sal
airy of about $4,000 year. Then there
is the superintendent office ITSELF with
It's handsome pay of $1,000, and it has
been the goal toward which scores Of
educators in this and other cities are
constantly keeping their eyes, Both the
offices of assistant superintendent and
superintendent are filed absolutely by
the board Of education. The assistant
superintendent is elected for two years,
and, as q matter of practice, has life
position. Then the male teachers can
look forward to promotion to the City
college either as ali instructor at sal
airy Of 50, 500, or full fledged professor
at Sd, 500.
There are few Of the 53 male princi-
pals ia New York's public schools, how
ever. who do not get more than their
salary of 50, 600 year. Almost every
one of them gets some little additional
pay, as 5000 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 Sd, 600 year out Of the school
system. The principals of boys schools,
OF course, have their pick i'll these choice
perquisites, but there are so many addi-
tional offices to be filled that undor male
teachers in the public schools come in
1Or GOOD round share.
The four evening high schools alone
! give employment to 90 or 30 teachers,
| each of whom gets anywhere from So to
| So night for the additional work
| Then there are some 20 boards of school
trustees, each Of which has its clerk
who gets payffor the amount of work
| done, the average mounting up to $500
or $500 n year. Nearly all these clerks
are principals of some schools.
| In the cease 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 .asalary of about 5000, which is
| gradually raised until she becomes the
principal of girls department. of a
| grammar school.
| LII order to become schoolteacher in
the public schools of New York it lis first
necessary to get recommendation from
member of the board Of education.
This enables the candidate to try pre-
Eminary examination, which, if he is
suacessfnl, entities him to he placedup
on the eligible list of teachers. After
satisfactory work in this capacity for
not moro than a year the candidate Sc
cures Appointment license as a teucher
i'll New York's public schools, and as
such is entitled to teach ia 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
cityiis divided into 81 school districts,
the schools in each Of which are. con-
| trolled by..a school board, who are an
| pointed blythe board of education The
boAds have the selection of all teachers
below the grade Of principal, these be-
ing appointed by the board tof educa-
ton. AS alrule, however, the licensed
teacher SOON finds an opening and then
is il the regular line of promntion.
What has made the school service so
attractive to many are the eaay hours.
Nine7tenths Of the salary earners in New
York get towork at a III. and arc
inckyaf they get away by 8 p. H., with
half an hour for luncheon. The work of
the teacher begins at a. m. and,is over,
as rn'e, by 3fp. M, with an hour for
luncheon. Nine-tenths of the salary
earnersiget only 2 weeks out of the SO
III the year for % vacation and thew
work 6 days in the week at that. The
schoolteachers get q vacation of IS
weeks IN 90 and draw full pay during
that time Besides this they work only
3 days IN the weea: and have all holi-
days. 1t has bean estimated that the
schoolteacEers Of New York work hess
than 200 ef the 3G5 days in the year.
If n schcolteachcr is to rise in the
calling, however, the, work does not end