Evening star., 1900-03-23

class. to exc out our salaries by obtaining
other work on those days when we are rot
engaged In teaching. Indeed. il would not
be desirable even If II Were possible. Forty
Saturdays and twelve other working days
during the teaching year can be accounted
for in this way. The nature nf our work
is such, also. that neither teacher nor
Pupils can be occupied more than at pres
ent with any advantage to the work Of
education. Our expenses go on during the
entire twelve months, but our salaries come
TO us during only ten.
Let me quote from an American writer
on economic and social questions whose
business it is to know the truth about such
things as these and to give 1t fearless ut
terance- Prof Richard T. Ely. now of the
niversity of Wisconsin. says: our vari-
| ous American governments have always
palu wages which have given an upward
sfhnehtS TO the labor nlar!iet-wagcS, in
TACT above rather than below those paid
by private employers under similar circurn-
stances; but our eoverumc ais. national
state ana municipal. Il rule pursue a
mean and socially unfortunate policy with
respect TO salaries: So that a man with
hlsh qualifications rarely has an onpor-
| tun!ty to serve his country in public Of
Hce' whether elective or appointiye. with
ont making sacrifice 50 great that many
who would otherwise confer benefit upon
bear the burden
The writer has no complaint about the
relative size of his own salary hut when
he considers the Importance of the work
in which he is engaged and the qualifica-
| tlonS demanded Of him he is amazed to
thlnk that his services copyiSt in the
government service nearly ten years ago
were rated higher than at present as n
nigh school teacher. in view of the fact
that he is nearly ten years older. has had
nearly two years of training in the gov
ernme Mt service, and n four years college
course. and is now in his fourth year of
experience as a teacher in the city high
school. In the money sense it doesn't nav
v1rh nhnn
work. There are better prospects for pro-
| motion and more immediate dollars and
cents in the unenyiable pnSltiop of a GOV
ernmeut clerk.
IN Boston, where the teacher and his
work are more highly esteemed than they
seem to be by you, Mr. Bingham, and your
coadJutorS, MesSrT. GrOut and Alien not
| only are higher salaries paid but teachers
| whose work is satisfactory to the school
authorities receive an annual increase in
| their salaries until a maximum amount OF
| satisfactory size is reached, as follows:
Boston primary schools, lowest grade of
teacher receives. first year, S.J.J2: annual in
| crease, SiS; maximum. 1896. Next grade
receives, first year. 1854; annual Increase
| SIS: maximum. 81, ESQ.
Boston grammar schools lowest grade Of
teacher, assistant, receives same as lowest
| grade OF teacher in the primary work
| Next grade receives, first year S912: annual
increase, SiS: maximum, 81 212. Next grade
receives, first year, S1,Io0; annual increase
$40; maximum, $3.50 Highest grade re-
Sl2D: maximum, 81 $50.
The corresponding grades in Washington
including the supervising PRINCIPALS are
paid from S4o0 to 5000, but the supervising
principal is the only one who receives a
| $1,000 salary. In Boston a supervising prin-
| cipal receives $3.50. a salary larger than
! our superintendent receives, and SO far as
| / know no grammar school teacher in this
/ city is paid more than 81 300. Indeed the
grammar school salaries in Boston are bet
| ter than the high school salaries in this
| city.
Boston high schools lowest grade of
teacher receives the first year S912 a salary
| larger than the average Washington high
| school salary: annual increase, So; maxi
! mum, I,62o. Next grade receives frs,
| year. S1416: annual increase (for eleven
years., s144: salary for the twelfth and sub
| Sequent years, 5000. Principals of Latin
| and high schools receive $3.50. The sala-
| ries in the Washington high schools range
| from 800 to sl,5O0. with less than dozen
| s1.5o salaries possible. Principals receive
| next year 81 600
! The salaries in the Boston normal school
| and in the mechanic arts high school are as
| good or better than in the Boston high
| schools.
| Boston is liberal In paying her teachers:
| but then. sir. You must remember that
! Boston appreciates the value of educational
| work. In Washington there is no such
| thing As an annual increase and there
| seems to he no system Of promotion, and on
| this account promotions often work inius-
the high schools, speaking for those who
| made the recommendations for promotion,
| or possibly for those who made the promo
! tcns, said that on account of the apprnrria-
| tonS they could not do what was right in
| making promotions.