The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1900-03-30
Education Costs Money.

Instruction by a committee com
posed of Professor Alexander, Mrs.
Hall, Mrs. Jordan, Mr.. Townsend
and Mr.. Gibson:
Honolulu, March 8, 1900
To E. A. Morr SMITH, Esq, Minister
Of Public Instruction.
Sir:-The Committee on Teachers
having been directed to furnish esti-
mates OF the amount that will be re-
CURED for the salaries of the teach.
ers of the public schools of this
Territory for the biennial period be-
ginning January 1, 1900, beg to re-
port as follows:
The payrolls of the public schools
at the present time has risen to Sl9,.
500 per month, while the average
amount per month appropriated by
the Legislature is only S19,7 $50.
AT the same time it is the general
opinion Of the public, with which
the Committee concurs, that tho
average salaries Of the assistant
teachers in the lower grades of the
schools are too low.
1t must bs ad United that some of
them are grossly incompetent. The
Inspector General reports about so
teachers who have no certificates,
of whom % in his opinion ought to
be replaced by more competent
teachers.
Furthermore, the fact is being
generally adm tied tina the primary
grades call for the highest order of
teaching ability, which should be re-.
warded accordingly. A large num-
Der Of positions in these grades in
our schools are now filed by S25-
teachers, which ought to be filed
by $50 teachers.
l. Al increase OF $500 a month
for these % places would raise the
total monthly pay roll to $4,000.
2. Again, the regular increase OF
salaries during the coming biennial
p,riod, due to length of service, in
creased proficiency as shown by GER
ti6cates, and other considerations
recognized in our schedule if we
Judge by the experience of the last
biennial period, may bs expected to
reach the figure OF $500.
3. If all the new school buildings
called for by the report OF the com.
mittee on lands and buildings shall
ba erected, about IS new teachers
will have to be added to our force,
the majority of whom will necessari.
ly bo drawn from the mainland.
The average salaries to be paid
them should be not less than $65 a
month, which will require an in
crease in the pay roll of $4225 per
month by the end OF the biennial
period.
4. Tho. report of the Inspector
General plainly shows the necessity
that exists for the more frequent
and thorough inspection of schools
than is practicable under the pres
ent system. Otherwise it will be i'm
possible to judge correctly OF The
quality of the services rendered by
teachers, or to promote them fol-
merit without making serious mis-
takes.
A report recently presented be-
fore the U. S. National Educationa
Association by special committee
composed OF eminent educators, OF
the subject of rural schools, declare
that monthly or at least b-monthl,
: inspections should be made of al
Z country schools. OF course, advic
!. aud practical instruction should b.
. combined with such inspection.
In order to carry out this recon
mendation 10 these islands, it is th
opinion OF your committee that 6v
sub inspectors would be required
:" allowing two for the Island OF Els
wall. In that case it would seer
that the Office OF a Travelling Norma
Jnatruotor would hacoma unneces