The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-01-15
GOTHAM PEDAGOGY.
THE LIFE AND DUTIES OF A NEW
YORK scHooLTEACHER.

|
tion-Advantages over Other occups~
tions-MaIe Teachers Have Wider OPP
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 ID
almost any other field of labor. About
/, 200 teachers are employed IN the pub
lie school system of New York whose
salaries range from 5000 to 81, 900 a
year for women, and from 81 $50 to 49,
oG0 for men. But So, 600 is by no means
the limit to the financial ambition OF a
New York schooIteacher. 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 sal
airy Of about 81, 900 year. Then there
IS the superintendent Office itself, with
it's handsome pay of $1,000, and 1t 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 matter of practice, has a life
position. Then the male teachers can
look forward to a promotion to the City
college either as an instructor at sal.
airy of So, 500, or a full f1edged professor
at 81, 500.
There are few of the SO male princi-
pals in New York's public schools, how
ever, who do not get more than their
salary of $4,000 year. Almost every
one of them gets some little additional
paw, 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
a clear 81, 900 a 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 addl-
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 So to
So a night for the additional work.
Then there are some % boards of school
trustees, each of which has its clerk,
who gets pay for the amount of work
done, the average mounting up to $500
or $500 a 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 $500, which is
gradually raised until she becomes the
principal of a girls department of a
grammar school.
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 Sc
cures permanent license as a 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 en-
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 are con-
trolIed 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-
ton. 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 i'll New
| york get TO work at s a M. and are