The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-03-31
DIRECTORS TALK
Members Of the Board Of
Education Approve the
Teachers Salary Bill.
RAISE A NATTER OF JUSTICE
Pay Was Reduced "Tempo-
rarily' and Has Never
Been Advanced.

| School Director Julius Berger, ex-presi-
dent and one of the leading spirits OF the
Hudson City Business Mems Association,
was asked his opinion of the measure to
increase school teachers salaries last
night. He said
| Il am heartily in favor of the measure
Some people imagine a teacher has
snap 1t is far from that When teachers
come home from the school house they
have to look over the work of the day
and prepare the next days work They
have to attend many meetings to keep up
with the leading views of their fellow
teachers.
Good teachers cannot be paid too high
I n.y. They model our future citizens. 1t
takes time for their preparation to per-
form such a duty-four years at school,
two in the training school. Then they
are placed on the substitute list. General
ly speaking it takes eight years to become
teacher.
"They are expected to dress well. No
slovenly dressed woman will ever make a
favorable impression on a school child
She must stand as an example to the
growing generation. I think the money
spent for teachers is money wen spent.
'"The measure will not embarrass the
city financially in the least. 1t will not
increase the tax levy $4,000 the first year
as some have intimated The increase will
not be more than 5000 to S26,O00 The
increase will be a mere bagatelle to the
individual taxpayer. No. I do not think
there will be any opposition to speak of
among the taxpayers of Hudson City"
TO;, n Tlor coid iC
good bill L only wish there was a pro-
vision in it that would provide more than
the meagre salary of s4O0 for beginners,
but taking the financial status of the city
into consideration, the salary of the
teachers, which will increase annually, is
all they could conscientiously ask for.
'I have visited fourteen schools since
the bill was passed and in every instance
the teachers were entirely satisfied with
the increases provided for them. Not
protest was heard anywhere.
lone has to be familiar with the educa-
tional system of our city to appreciate the
services rendered by our corps of teach
ers. Take the substitutes for instance.
Almost every morning these teachers ap-
pear at the schools in their respective dis
tricts and ascertain whether there are any
vacancies or not If a substitute is for
tunate enough to work the five days, she
gets the enormous sum of five dollars for
her services. There are about forty school
weeks in a year. Providing a teacher
works the sntire year as a substitute, she
cannot earn more than $780, and this
would not happen in one case out of a
hundred This shows how poorly the sub
stitutes are recornpensed for their hard
work and the new bill does not provide
for them in any Of it's provisions,
That is why I mentioned the fact about
an increase for beginners and full fedged
teachers. There are from eighty to
eighty-five substitutes on our list.
However,, I sincerely trust that the
good Judgment of the people will show
itself on election day, when the measure
comes up for their approval. If there is a
class of city employees that deserves the
increase, it is the teachers of our schools
and I have long been in favor of any
measure that would give them more
money for their magnificent services. You
cannot put words too strong to show my
approval of the bill"
Director of the Board of Education Geo.
F. Witt was last night asked his opinion.
Said Mr.. Witt
''You may quote me as being heartily in
favor of the measure. Jersey City teach
ers haye long been underpaid. and any
measure for their relief should receive the
endorsement of every liberal minded citi-
zen.
1.-THE average person fails to realize the
arduous duties of teacher. They have
vague idea that they work about five
hours a day and have any number of
holidays. People send their children to
school. They know the children learn, but
they never stop to consider the labors of
teachers to impart knowledge to children
of various degrees of intelligence.
'I have read President Mulvaney's
statement, which appears to make the
whole situation clear, and gladly echo his
sentiments
''In relation to teachers salaries, Jersey
City has long been behind the times. AS
result many of our brightest teachers
have left us, to get more pay for their
services. They are not in the least to be
blamed, either.
Some years ago, when the city was in
financial straits the salaries of all city
employees were reduced. 1t was understood
at the time that the reduction was only
to be temporary. Later, all salaries ex-
cepting the teachers, were advanced.
They stood the reduction at that time un-
complainingly, and should now receive a
substantial reward by an increase of
salaries, which will enable them to live
respectfully and also save a few dollars
for rainy day.
IT think that the bill will meet with
very little opposition at the coming cleo
ton. Jersey City's citizens have prob
ably awakened to the fact that our teach.
ers are very necessary and excellent and
much underpaid.
Il ,ullnk a mistake was made in franz
ing the bill, when the High School teach
ers were ignored. The lady teachers are
certainly not paid according to their
worth. In the near future some provision
should be made to give them a substan-
tial increase of salary. If we don't, many
of them will probably leave us, to ac-
scept positions in other cities, where their
services will be appreciated
School Director John H. Ward said
"One of the principal reasons why the
teachers salaries should be increased is
because they were reduced some years
| put back to the old figures as soon as the
city could afford it. The city has had
money to increase other salaries and ex-,
penses and should now redeem its promise
to the teachers.
aThe present salaries are not cornmen-
ssirate with the requirements of the posi-
! tion. Young ladies without the prepara-l
| ton that is required for school teaching
II other channels OF business receive often.