The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-06
TEACHERS, S4LSRTfS Low ENOt On
Supt. AshmOre Does Not Believe in
Reducing Teachers Pay.

superintendent of Schools Ashmoro was
asked yesterday as to the condition of af-
fairs in Atlanta with regard to the schools.
There the school system is directly depend
ent for its support and maintenance upon
the city.
The schools in Atlanta, unlike those of
Savannah, have yearly appropriations
made for their support just as do the fire,
ponce, and other municipal departments.
rms appropriation in 1886 was Sl54 600, a
sum that at its setting apart for the eX-
penseS of the school, made no demand for
q decrease in the salaries of the teachers
Not so with the appropriation for 1897
rms year only Sl42 900 was settled upon the
schools, and, consequently, with S12 0J1
less to be expended, some change in the
conduct OF the system had to be decided
upon.
What this change will be has not yet
been determined
1T rests said Mr. Ashmore "betWeen
reduction of salaries and cutting down
of the time during which it has been usual
and was expected that the schools should
remain open"
Supt Ashmore was asked what would
be his course if he were a member of the
Atlanta board of education. He replied
that with his knowledge and according
10 ms understanding of the situation, he
would most assuredly sanction reduction
IN the length of the session rather than
the teachers salaries
If the Atlantic teachers had been paid
more than their services demanded, then
TINS proposed reduction of 8 per cent.
I.
that their pay has been too great has
never been claimed. 1t is merely the ef-
forts OF the board to. get along on the
amount appropriated by the council for
the schools. The desire, under the new
administration, TO keep down taxes is the
motive for the decreased appropriations
ana rather than make the teachers suffer
the people themselves should suffer for
the nlsgardlness that prompts the mis-
taken economy
IF the schools were closed nearly a
month earlier than intended the people
would be brought to an UNDERSTANDING OF
the mistake that is being made If ia
not right for the teachers to be made
10 suuer just because the people do not
desire TO support the schools as they
Should. / say again that the term should
pc cut rather than the teachers pay
but th's does not seem to be the view
taken by the Atlanta board Of education
\ cut OF per cent. in the salaries has
oeeh virtually decided upon, and the only
question Is as to whether this cut shall be
made without regard TO the grade or pay
OF the teachers. all Of them suffering the
= per cent. slash, or those in the highest
positions having a larger slice taken off
than those beneath them"
superintendent AshmOre said IL has
never been the lot Of the Savannah teach
ers To suffer suCn a thing as a cut in sal
airy. Ample provision is made for the
schools support and no reduction has ever
been mentioned. IL was upon this very
question that he was once imppiled "a
write tire Atlanta journal. An article i'm
one OF the Atlanta papers had stated in
excavation OF a cut that had been f4Rde
in the teachers salaries, that such reduce
tons were being made all over the state
and that Savannah. among other cities
had used the economic knife. Mr. Ash
more, therefore, wrote reply DENYING
ms Mr. Ashmore SAYS that rather than
cutting down, the Atlanta city council
should be increasing It's appropriation The
city Is rapidly growing and more children
are each year to be sent to school.