The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-15


fession of teaching? Quick perception.
delicate tact, deep sympathies, ripe
Judgment, broad scholarship, are the
qualities that make the successful
teacher, and they come only with years
ana experience of work and of life.
Thus it has come to be the practice
in most cities of the rank of ST. Paul
that teachers are paid according to IA
schedule, increasing with years of serv-
ice.
That such a plan has it's drawbacks
all will admit, but that it is the fairest
yet devised is evidenced by the fact
that it is followed in all cities of i'm
portance.
In our own city the maximum is
reached with the sixth year of teach
Ing.
1t may not be generally known, how
ever, that for the last three years this
schedule has not been honored beyond
the third year, so that this encourages
ment to industry has been almost en-
tirely lacking in school work.
In order TO place before the friends
of the teachers and of public education
some expert testimony with regard to
the wisdom of this encouragement"
to the teaching industry" letters were
sent out to a number of men of the
highest standing in our country asking
plan of an advancing schedule of
salaries.
The following are the views of these
men:
JUDGMENT OF EXPERTS.
Yes, an in general in favor of a sched-
ule of salaries for teachers inv lviag as
on of its Eases length of service. I am
fully aware what such schedule overlooks
unless other matters are taken into account
with length of experience. All that can he
h9rs1 for IN the arrangement If salaries in
public school work is conformity e 4 gen
eral idea of justice. It is impossible for us
to know so thoroughly the work OF teach.
ers as to be able to graduate the salaries
entirely in reference TO the benefits accru-
ing from their work. You must therefore
strike some reason which appeals more de-
cidedly and definitely to the common con-
seriousness, and which can be at any rate
somewhat supported by facts and figures
This is really the chief reason for a sched
ule which involves experience Besides ex-
perlence. however a schedule should be
graduated with reference to kind of work
required and the responsibilities borne
This is. OF course, generally done in salary
schedules in some form or other.
L. H. Jones,
superintendent of Schools,
Cleveland 0.
i like this rule. 1t makes for economy
In a way that does no harm. Young teach
ers can afford to begin on low salary, and
ners are paid too much and experienced
teachers too little. 1t is not so in other
professions -Thos M RaJIiet
Supt. of Schools, Springfield, Mass.
believe that length of service should be
given weight in connection with merit and
increasing efficiency.
Nicholas Murray Butler,
Professor OF Philosophy and Education, Co.
iumbia University. New York, and Edi-
tor Of The Educational Review.
1 have advocated schedule of salaries
for public school teachers based upon years
OF experience for the following reasons:
The services of a teacher should become
more valuable after the first few years of
experience and by grading from the first
years experience, from minimum to a
maximum salary, making definite advance
each year all educational efforts can be
made toward increasing the. efficiency of
favoritism cannot be shown in the fixing
of salaries. If any tachers prove to be
unsuccessful or are not rendering equiv>
alent service for the money paid them.
the board can drop such teachers from its
service. Under a schedule of salaries sue
cessful experience elsewhere be recog-
niZed and such teachers placed at an adj
vanced salary in accordance with such ex-
perience. "A. G. Lane,
Supt. of Schools, Chicago, Ill.
I think teachers should first of all, be
secure in their positions as long as they
do good work. This can only be through
tenure of office. l think salaries shiuld be
graded, II possible according to the value
of the work, and one Of the leading factors
in the estimates Of this value is length of
service in the community. 1t is imro5-
si5le to have any rule of action in the adj
justment of salaries that Is always fair to
each teacher and to all the pupils, but there
is none that would do gceater justice to all
parties intei ested than to have a schedule
to increase with years Of service, this to be
of high ability and long experience else
where, or III the case of a teacher who las
ceased to grow In usefulness.
My observation leads to the conclusion
should have but about one-half the maxi
mum salary and that she should be from
four to eight years reaching the maximum.
My theory is that thereafter teachers Of
special worth and continual growth should
have raise in salary about every three CT
five as long they groW W more and
Editor of Journal of Education.
Boston, Mass.
1t has been my opinion that the length Of
time in faithful service deserves and earns
an increase OF salary, in our life well
as in industrial and commercial life If
teacher has worked faithfully and Is of the
right material, that teacher will be worth
more to her employers the fourth year than
the third. Just as would any employee of
q great commercial establishment And yet,
limit must be placed, owing to the rela-
tons that a public corporation holds to the
people.
In human life point Is reached where eff
ficiency ceases to increase; and at that
point, the increase of salary should stop,
or perhaps the teacher should be laid by
altogether. Unfortunately. no definite age
can be placed to this; because one man at
forty is more disabled than another at
sixty. | take it that Gladstone was worth
as much at seventy-five, and more, to his
country. than at fifty, and certainly much
more than at thirty.
However as general principle I believe
that the longer the service-with proper
Imitations-the greater the remuneration
shouio De. Aaron Cove
Superintendent of Schools
Denver, Col.
/ am entirely in favor of schedule .,
salaries for public school teachers incra,S
ing with years of service. NV reasons To-
this are that the first years work ~
teacher is not so good as the second vear's
work, and the second years work not 80
good as the third. Teachers with a nrn,eso
$50 sionai training will improve in their work
Tor SIX, seven or eight years generally. and
sometimes for fifteen or twenty wears and
the graded system of salary is a strong IN
fluence towards encourag ing the teacher IN
do better and better work promot.on
from lower position to higher ms n,n
mas pronounced effect to bring a, nt
new exertion and higher grade of results
80 the increase of a salary of $50 for he
Gannnd for Al.