The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-06


At ITS regular meeting tomorrow night
The board of education will consider the
application of the teachers of the city
Tor an increase in their salaries. The
matter has been pending In one form
or another for some little time. The
teachers have prepared an elaborate state
ment OF the resources and expenditures of
the school district, by which 1t Is made to
appear that owing TO the increase In the
assessment on real property in the city
of Seattle made this year by the county
assessor, and the large amount OF deln-
qnent taken, the district will be in such
shape financially as to be able to stand
the additional expense proposed In the
salary list.
The district is now on a cash basis, and
It Is ssid to be the Intention of the mem
bers of the board of education to keep IL
20. The delinquent tax rolls are consd-
cred as a valuable asset OF the district.
and It In probable that a considerable rev.
enue will be derived yearly from this
source. AT present. however, as ~ evil
denced by a summary OF the expend-
lures and receipts Of the district for the
current year, there will be no surplus at
the end OF the present year. which falls
on June 30.
There is on the delinquent tax rolls of
the county a sum aggregating In round
numbers $500. 600. according TO statement
prepared at the request OF the teachers by
Deputy Treasurer Padden. This includes
the delinquent taxes OF 1898 and previous
years and the uncollected taxes of 1900.
AZ to the probable amount of revenue to
be derived from this source during the
year beginning July /, 1900, there can only
be conjecture.
The Teachers Side.
In advocating an increase in the salary
Est OF the teachers, one of their number
prepared the following yesterday:
''In 1895 the teachers were asked to help
hear the burden OF hard times 10 the tax
payers and a reduction OF 10 to per
cent was made In salaries OF teachers AMI
principals II was promised n. the time
that az soon as better times returned sal
aries would be restored, The past two
years have been prosperous ores IN thls
city Rents have increased from 80 to 800
per cent and living In general has at
vanced fully one-third.
1.-THE average salary paid Seattle teach
ers In only sufficient 10 meet the expenses
OF "a reasonable living and have n few
dollars left for the vacation. Several who
feel that they must get ahead little dur
ting their best years are boaruing them
which is unfair and a positive injury TO
their usefulness in school
"rho city II demanding the best teach
ers and their best service II IL able TO
and should pay good wages, The average
teacher this year will receive about $500,
Board costs from s27 to $40 per month. The
average cf seventeen teachers who gave
the amounts they paid was $s2 40 per month
This with laundry amounts 10 $40 per year
Most Of the teachers or the city pay two
car fares per day and many have to ride
On tao lines and pay four fares. making
from SIC TO $40 per year IN car rare.
Expense. Are Heavy.
'Many appeals are made TO them for
benevolences which. with the necessary
papers and books, amount To at least
l2s per annnrn. teachers dress must
be IN style and fairly good material or
the children and patrons OF her school
will make unfevorahle comments. From
500 90 $3.50 Is a moderate amount for
wardrobe which, with $50 for incidental
expenses leaves barely enough for the
two months vacation during the sum
met, and she comes back in the fan
with nothing left OF her previous years
work.
'Durlng tho last two years wages and
Income have increased very largely.
Rents on well located property net from
10 10 10 per cent. on the investment Six
90 seven room houses rent quickly at SIS
so 81 per month. Wages IN the trades
have been raised on an average OF from
isis &c II per cont The employees IN the
postofice have been raised 500 per year
The postmaster reports that he could not
hire men at the old Wages Salaries In
the county and city Offices have Allsheen
thi@AA W htfE AE Win AiiF nfttFf times,
and range fully X per cent batter than
Che teachers The professors IN the stata
institutions get frVm ~ 20 Ss00 Per year
more than the principals Of our large
city schools, whore equal scholarship aud
long experience are required our SAT-
aries are lower than thoss IN other cities
OF equal sire and standing, Especially
10 this true OF principals and supervisors
while tho school board 10 spending
large sums for school buildings ana tn
creased accommodations yet n careful
calculation shows that after spending ali
that the law allows there viii be a SAFE
balance, II can be used FOR an incrcs ge
In salaries We believe that an increase
OF at leagt 70 PER cent should be made
and. n possible. IS much as ~ per cent"
Comparative statement OF salaries.
The following comparative statement OF
Valaries "a the city. Including public ser.
Vice In the city departments gna the
ytate university and city schoOia As given
o. the teashsrs as part % their case;
Clerks 81 mayors once and city Ferarf
nsrts. $50 TO 10 Per annun
clsrks In sreasnrer's department. sss0
g. s.. 40 per Rnnum.
Police court 500 10 S. 800 per aruurn.
Clerks civil service department, $50 to
&.ih Per annum.
Clerks board OF public works. $50 10
Ets0 par annum-
Employees IRE department $50 10 81 $50
psr snnum. not including chief.
Police department, $40 TO S.Ao per an
mum, not Including chief.
fteNss OF ueparbiieutr "a w PER Anaual.
Court house employees. SaeA 20 s., 20 per
annum
state university President. $40 per an
mum: professors, 81. sop TO 1850 per annunl
Seattle schools:
Present salaries. minimum without ex-
psxienes In grammar grade, $40 per an
hum
Ninireum with experience, SEQ, maxi
mum, 800.
High school teachers, 5000
Principals grammar grade, 500 10 81, 100.
High school principal. $3.50.
Salaries 1884:
Grammar grade. 500 to $50.
0yAInusN grade princpsls. Sl.seo to 81. 500