The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-25
LOW SALARIES
HardShipS of Teachers
Described.
The Case Of Assistants in Intsrme-
date Departments as Put
by a Spectator.

Editor Advertiser: i has occurred
to Yrs quite furcibly several times liz
the past few months how persons oc-
cupying the positions OF intermediate
teachers in the schools Of these ISL
8uGs are ever expected 20 keep clothes
on their backs or food in their mouths.
In fact. It is rather astonishing -hat
they do so. as all would agree, If the
circumstances under which they la0Jr
are fairly considered. -Four hundred
and eighty dollars per year is the usu-
al salary, some get less. sorry 20 say.
but We do not touch their case. il be-
Ing utterly beyond our powers Of un-
Outstanding. Out Of that sum the
teacher must clothe himself decently.
board himself in some way. furnish
himself with books, newspapers and
magazines, and pay transportation in
the InteT-Island steamers 10 and from
his school. TO say nothing OF incident
al expenses. such as dying and getting
married.
] Some books Of reference are sup
| posed TO be furnished 10 the schools.
But il is only a supposition. because
I they cannot be gotten by fair means
/ or foul, in many instances. Letters
I asking for them receive no reply for
some time, and then the teacher is in
formed there are none Of those books
IN al present" So he must furnish
/ himself with everything Of that sort
I Newspapers and magazines, 10 keep
! him in touch with the rest Of the world
are a heavy expense. but one that no
tself-respecting teacher feels he can do
away with. Board is a perfect bug
bear. At the average plantation hotel
[ 10 would bankrupt him al the end OF
the second week. and there are but few
I private homes where a teacher can Ee-
board and lodging.
Some innocent viii ask where the
] teachers cottage is, and what IL is for
! For the principal and family, bless
your cOnfding heart, But the poor in
! termediate teachers2 On, never mind.
! my dear. do not bother us about them.
They will get along some way. They
always have, you know. If the pIinci-
pals cottage has a spare room the
family does not need. the assistant is
often given that room; but they must
not forget that they are under the
deepest obligation 20 the principal for
| il, and be eduly grateful. for the Gov
eminent does not give j, 20 them. If
| the cottage has no spare room and the
assistant happens 20 be a woman and
not wildly "hanksTinE' after staying
alone in a tumbledOwn hut. that is
| some lines placed near the larger cot
t1Ee for the teachers m1dlti01.
then this poor assistant must simply
hang upon a hook TO save lodging fees.
and board herself as best she car.
Now. there are such cases ani ple1-
| " OF them. as we know personally. T.
seems strange that educated refined
young ladies. accustomed in their own
homes 10 home cheer. C0mpani0uship
and comfort. should object 20 staying
alone in a shanty that most men would
cons der unfit for their contract LABOR
ers. But such is the case. there being
no accounting for tastes. and thu trOu-
bic Of it IS we can't help sustaining
their objections. We suppose book
on statistics can be produced GO show
the average salary is more "a. p $50
per month, but don't you ever believe
he gets any more because the statistics
say so. He doesn't do anything " the
sort The principals are well paid.
and their higher amounts cOnsidera-
bly, increase the small ones in find
ing an average Now don't for one
moment think we want 20 ser the
principals salary cut: not al all. but
in the name Of common sense and jus
tice. set a higher value on educational
work in the lower grades. aaI see
what the result will be.
OF a necessity. nearly every teacher
is compelled 20 turn his attention 20
some other business beside his school
work; and OF a necessity also. the school
suffers from the divided attention. We
cannot imagine that the Board OF Edu-
cation expects such work from teachers
as they would get II the salaries were
sufficient % keep the men IN denim
suits. and the women in hOloku:. and
poi We cannot believe them guilty OF
sucl folly as that. S-ill once IN
while we see symptoms Of a strain Of
madness tending that way. TIE p-i--
Ci1als' salaries are good and Jet then
remain so. But -he~ can't az be heads
q schools. There must Be primary and
intermediate teachers and . ls SAID
in some OF the on OF The way spots o.
the earth ike N7Eza- E-s=--s. Calt7r-
MIA and Illinois that the primary and
fn-e--e7 a-le-s are important
na-zCu8~as from the fact that they are
LAYING --e f1~- 7l-.1u for The upper
structure OF education.
40 the teacher who has spent years
IN c1usrt a-ti0-s preparation for me
work. Il is rather di=c7UraE.-g business
20 mt forth much sE1-- where no r1-7
value IS placed On good work 0- con-
ds-uat'ol given % poor -.r6- lal
here. some VII say there are teachers
who are 10. worth what -LFT ger, how
ever low e. e. D.s-ll--7 t-e1 men
and "a tse The salaries and -1- VII soon
have a better class 90 teachers here 20
MI their places. These Islands cal
7r--7 10 nav their teachers and Be- g.
20 their shane that the average salary
Is az low a= 70 '=
INTERESTED SPECTATOR
Hawaii. January 1s, 1900.