Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-01-25
GOTHAM PEDAGOGY.
THE LIFE AND DUTIES or A NEW
YORK scHooLTgAcHeR.

tion-Advantages over other Oooupa-
tions-Maie Teacher. Have wider OPP
portunities Than the Women.
Eyarything taken into consideration,
there are few public offices in the city Of
New York which arc more desirable
than those within the public school sys'
TEN. From almost every point Of view
tho life Of n schoolteachor is desirable
one in this city. Tho pay is good, tho
promotion tolerably rapid, the work not
onerous, and tho hours are bettor than IN
almost any other field Of labor. About
1000 teaalers are employed in the pub
lie school system Of New York whose
salaries range from 5000 to 1900
year for women, and from ti $50 10 &c..
900 for men But %, 600 Is by no means
the limit to the financial amb - Of a
New York schoolteacher. On the part Of
the men there are several greater prizes
within their roach II thoy have the prop
or qualifications and can secure the right
influence In the board of education. For
instance. there il tho office Of assistant
superintendent Of public schools, Of
which there arc ten, each drawing o sal
airy Of about a., 900 year Then there
Is tho superintendent oflico itself, with
its handsome pay Of $1,000. and It has
boon tho goal toward which scores Of
educators In this and other cities ara
constantly keeping thor eyes, Both tho
Offices Of assistant superintendent and
superintendent arc filled absolutely by
tho board Of education. The assistant
superintendent Is elected for two years,
and, as matter Of practice, has a life
position. Then tho male teachers can
look forward TO a promotion 10 the City
college either as an Instructor at q sal
AIRY Of ". 800. or a full fledgod professor
at $4,000.
There aro few Of the 90 male princi.
pals in New Yorks 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, "a $500 or $500 year for extra
service a. an instructor In the evening
schools or M clerks Of the ward board OF
school trustees. Some Of tho principals
hold both Of these little plums aud make
o clear u, 600 year out Of the school
system. The principals Of boys schools,
Of course, have their pick In these choice
perquisites, but there arc so many add.
tional offices TO bo 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 30 or 30 teachers,
each Of whom gets anywhere from o. 10
t6 n night for tho additional work.
Then there arc some 30 boards Of school
trustees, each Of which has its clerk,
who gets pay for tho amount Of work
done. the average mounting up to $500
OF $500 year. Nearly all these clerks
are principals Of some schools
In the case Of women schoolteachors
tho chances for earning extras arc very
limited. The maximum salary sho can
get Is 300. She starts into the system
with u salary Of about 5000. which is
gradually raised until she becomes the
principal Of girls department Of a
grammar school
In order TO become schoolteacher in
the public schools Of New York IL il first
necessary to get recommendation from
member Of the board OF education.
This enables tho candidate 90 try pro-
liminary examination. which. II he IL
successful. entities him 10 be- placed up
ON tho eligible list Of teachers After
satisfactory work In this capacity for
not more than year tho candidate So
cures u permanent license ~ teacher
In New York'a public schools, and as
such IL 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 "a school districts.
the schools in each Of which arc CON
trolled by a school board. who are ap-
pointed by tho board Of education. Tho
boards have tho selection OF all teachers
below tho grade of principal these bo.
ing appointed by the board Of educa-
tion. As u rule, however, the licensed
teacher soon finds an opening and then
ID in tho regular line Of promotion.
What has mado tho school service 80
attractive TO many arc the easy hours.
Nino-tenths Of tho salary oarners In Now
York got &c work at s u. m. aud arc
lucky II they get away by p. m. with
half an hour for luncheon. Tho work Of
the Teacher begins at GA m. and Is over,
rs n rule, by 0 p. m, with an hour for
luncheon. Nine.tenths Of tho salary
earners got only . weeks out Of the 90
in tho year for u vacation. and thoy
work days in tho week at that. The
schoolteachers get u vacation of 10
weeks in 90 and draw full pay during
that time. Besides this they work only
days In the week and have all holi.
days II has been estimated that the
schoolteachers OF New York work less
than 200 Of the SO5 days in tho year.
II schoolteaoher is 20 rise in the
calling, however, the work does not end
with school hours. Studies m pedagogy
and advanced education mus be kept up
Mt home The work is not 70 hard, how
ever or tho pay 10 poor Ms 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.