The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-08-23
Plan for It's Erection and Proper
Maintenance.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
Chapel Hill Suggested as Place
For It's Location.
MUST BE BUILT BY TEACHERS
If Each Teacher Viii Give Just One Per
Gent of His Salary for One Year
Nearly $1,000 Will Thus
Be Raised.

supplement to the Teachers Insti-
tute, see the notice of a home to be-
built for aged Baptist Ministers. The
money is given by gentleman. Mr..
Parker in the supplement- says:
Would that some philanthropist
would start a similar enterprise for
WORKOUT teachers. They are the most
self-sacrifcing, the hardest worked,
the poorest paid of the members of any
profession or calling. Theirs is the
double Office of equipping the young
for successful living, and preparing
the soul for triumphant death
Who will immortalize himself by es-
tablishing home for teachers"
Mr.. Parker, let the teachers on
North Carolina do it themselves and
thus add to their glory. Other teach
ers are building homes for the aged
and sick of their number. A year ago
the teachers of the District OF Col
umbia had raised $4,000 for this pur~
pose. Those of Baltimore have started
similar fund. When l saw this para
| graph in the Institute, through
| singular coincidence, L had just COL
| lected from Mr.. Scarboroughs last
| Biennial Report some statistics con-
corning the public school teachers of
| North Carolina. Ny intention was to
| suggest to them the propriety, and it
seems to me the feasibility, OF building
a Teachers Home.
! 1t is an accepted fact that teachers
do not accumulate money. They may
| teach all their best years and yet have
no rainy day" fund. No one blames
| the teacher, for Mr.. Parker puts the
/ truth mildly when he says they are
/, the poorest paid of any profession or
| calling. The average salary of the
white male public school teacher in
this State is 1858 per month. That
/ OF the white female teacher is $23.0S
/ per month. The average length of
| the school year is thirteen weeks, three
| and one-fourth scholastic months,
| making the income from teaching for
| the man, $50 81; and for the woman,
S75.o1.
Society requires q teacher to dress
as well as other people. In many
school districts it is moral duty to
| dress better than the patrons OF the
school, In every district, the teacher
| from hat 10 shoes must present. the
| appearance of lady or gentleman,
else no good influence will emanate
/ from the school. Leaving to some
| man to estimate the cost of a mans
| dress, | will say that the young wo-
man who wills it may make gentAel
| appearance on forty dollars year,
| while prices continue as they are
| True, she must be eternally vigilant
OF dust, grease, moths and the like,
| and she must make every stitch of her
| wardrobe. If away from home, board
and laundry must be paid partly by
her salary, and partly by the IN
| known ways of Providence. The doc
/ tor, should she need him, must wait
/ for his dues. If she teach at home.
| bhe Old folks or the little folks in
| nine cases out OF ten, need all that she
can earn. She must read books and
papers. They are not had for the ask
ing. These figures apply to the count
~ teacher. Those of the towns receive
better salaries, bur all living costs
more. II they would appear az well
| dressed as their neighbors, they must
be wafchful of bargain counters"
and special sales" in addition to the
struggle with abe enemies which time
brings to every garment Each day
brings a cry to give for sweet Charitys
| sake, and then comes shat deadly sure
call for q contribution to the Christ
mas or other occasional gift to the
/ superintendent, who receives as much
salary as any three of them Those
| who read this may ask: 'How in the
naIne of logic can we build home
and keep it open when we can scarcely
l1ve? By the strong and elastic will
power which belongs to every true
teacher
During the year ending June so,
1894, there were examined and approx
{ ed in North Carolina Of white male
! teachers, 2,798; OF white females.
1884. II each would give one per cent
! or his or her salary, in one year the
men would contribute S2,321.50, and
| the women, $1,750.73, making for one
| year, $4,072.23. This would average
| from each man eighty -threa cents per
| year, and from each woman seventy
| i've cents. / think even North Caro-
| lima public school teacher can afford
| this. In five years the sum would
amount to $40 ,361.15. / am told that
suitable, comfortable home, large
enough for it's demands can be built
in Chapel Hill for $4,000, or about
that. The house being built, and with
$4,000 TO start on, added 30 the con-
tinuous small contributions from the
teachers, the home could live with no
outside aid. mention Chapel Hill be-
cause it naturally suggests itself for
the purpose. The teachers would find
books and society there peculiarly con-
genial. The home could accommodate
the attendants at the summer school.
and so aid in its own support But
God and the State do help those who
help themselves, and il the teachers
prove that they intend to provide
retreat for the aged and sick among
them, outside help will come in.
There are now many old teachers in
North Carolina who are homeless and I
penniless. There are many trying to
teach who are too sick to work They
not only are suicidinr, but they are
doing injustice to little children, for
q sick person cannot teach. Others
who are born to teach are doing uncon-
genial work. They saw only want had
4. 4 4 4.