New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20
SCHOOL-TEACHERS' SALIRIES.

The proposition to decrease the salaries Of
school-tcachcrs is 10 be heartily commended
though It's proper execution will require the ap-
pllcatlon OF much tact and Judgment. There Is
no fact connected with the public school sys-
tenn more obvious than that the teachers are
us n rule. much undergrad. 1t Is nothing short
OF scandalous that teacher. charged with the
mental and moral development of scores of
youths md thus the mOudcr and fashOne- OF
goody part of the community In the next
generation should be ranked lower than m cle-
vator bay or n jnnitor's assistant. II is dis
graceful that men should pay less for the train
ing and culture of boys and girls than for the
grooming OF horses Yet exactly TINT Is the
fact. The highest possible qualifications IRE
required. such abilities as would command sue
cess and profit in business or In any other pro-
fessior. and the pay given Is less than that Of
unskilled manual labor. Nor is that all There
has been n certain social discrimination against
the profession, almost IN odium resting upon
necessary evil n most inferior person who Is to
be merely tolerated and who Is fair target
for all manner OF ridiculc and abuse The law.
yer the preacher. the doctor. are dignlned aud
respected figures In society. but the pedagogue
This dctestabc sentiment arose doubtless. from
fhc very fact that III" teacher Ia ill-paid and
therefore compelled TO 90 somewhat scedy IN
appearance. Perhaps II is also duo to tho fact
that thc small salary has not always command
cd the best grade Of talent or OF social worth
and the teacher has therefore often been really
the inferior person represented. There has, IN
deed, been a widespread feeling that anybody
A, .
Lrght enough for anything else can he
teacher Or the young man working his way
through college. or just out OF college. can take
up teaching as stop-gap occupation. Or the
young woman Of 10 especial abilities can teach
for year or so to make money for her wedding
outfit. OF such. very largely. has been the
teaching profession throughout great part OF
the land.
In late years there has been. especially In the
large cities. salutary reform High abilities
and ample equipment have been required Of
the teachers. and also n much larger amount Of
work. That Is well. But. unfortunately. there
has been no corresponding Increase in remrl-
ncration. The reason is not hard to discover
Such matters are controlled by politicians. The
majority Of school-tenchers are women, who
have no votes and who have therefore no in
huence with politicians. and the men In the
profession mr.. not given to working primaries
and running with the mnchine. and 80 they too,
are ignored. The strcctsweeper has a vote, and
Is In his small way Il working politician. There
fore he must be placated ard favored. The
teacher Is OF no political value to the Boss; be
does not interfere with the votes Of his fellows.
and his own vote Is not TO be purchased. and
therefore lie Is TO b" ignored. That, 10 very
large degree. IL the reason why tho salaries Of
teachers have been kept AZ n lower mark than
those Of other public servants who do less and
less important work. That In some way legs.
lators are being brought to take more Just
view OF the case and TO pay teachers accord
inG to their deserts, and not according to their