The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-03-04
WHY WAS IT?

In perusing the report OF the laws
passed by the recent legislature we mo-
tice a bill regulating the salaries OF
school superintendents, and note that
the salary of the superintendent OF
Wasco county was raised to 81, 400
year. Why this increase in salary was
made naturally rises the inquiry among
the taxpayers OF the county. They
are naturally solicitous to know at
whose request the increase was made.
Did the school patrons of the county
ask for this increase? Did the tax
payers ask for it? If not, then who
did? And was it made to increase the
efficiency of the Office?
If it was for the latter purpose, near.
ly every taxpayer in the county will
protest. For years the different su-
perintendents Of this county have been
satisfied with the salary OF $500 year,
and have performed their duties ac-
ceptably. They have carefully looked
after the cause of education, and so
far as is known there has been no cause
Tor complaint of their administration.
Then why should the salary of that Of
flee be almost doubled, at time when
good talent and effective service is
being had at the old salary, and when
at each recurring election there is an
efficient educator ready and willing;
yes, even anxious, to take the office.
The present superintendent, Prof.
c. L Gilbert, is now serving his sec
ond term. He held the Office from
1895 to 1893 at salary of $500 year,
was even willing to give up work in
the public schools of the county to ac-
cept the Office of county school super
intendent at that salary; and was
so we'll satisfied with the position in
1898 that he asked for denomination at
the hands of his party, and was re-
warded for faithfulness in the dis
charge OF his duties by reelection.
Then what was the necessity, when
we can secure q competent superin-
tendent at $500 a year, to increase his
salary to 81, 400? Who did it? And
why was it done?
OF course the present incumbent,
Prof. c. L. Gilbert, is too honorable a
gentleman to have asked for an in
crease of his salary while in office, for
he accepted it at stipulated salary,
and he could not conscien tiously take
an increase during his incumbency.
But the salary fixed by the recent leg
islature must stand until the legisla-
ture meets in 1901, and will be the sal
ary that Prof. Gilbert's successor will
receive, hence the taxpayers of Wasco
county will be compelled to pay $1,000
more for the services of the next SUI
perintendent to he elected in 1901, than
is reasonable or just.
The salary of school superintendent,
like the salary of every other officer,
should be OILY a reasonable compen-
sation for the services which the duties
of the Office demand. and similar or
equal to the salary which the incum-
bent could earn in like pursuits in
private employment. The average sal.
aryfor male teachers in Wasco county,
and in fact throughout the state, does
not exceed $50 a month for nine
months work. This includes city
superintendents and principals of
graded schools. In The Dalles the
city superintendent is paid 1880 a
year. His duties require all his at
tention, and he is the servant Of the
district continuously for the school
year. Principals of other schools in
the county, the duties of which re-
quire fully as much. attention and
qualification as does the superinten-
dents Office, receive from $75 to 800
a month. then why should our county
superintendent be paid more than he
could possibly earn as an active teach
er? The duties of the Office are not
so irksome as those OF the active
teacher; in fact, there are months at
time in which he has comparatively
nothing to do. as is evidenced by the
fact that the present superintendent
often finds employment in the asses
sor's and clerks Offices where he can
work during times when there is
nothing to do in his own Office, there
fore his entire time cannot be oc-
cupied in his Office, as it would be if he
were actively employed in the school
room, hence it would appear that the
former salary of $500 a year was a
corresponding salary to what he could
earn in similar work outside of the
office. The action of the legislature
in increasing the salary was wrong,
in that it makes the Office sinecure,
and the people who bear the burdens
of county government would like to
know why it was done.