Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-04-12

n. ID. Hullinger on Teachers Pay.
A letter addressed to the publisher
of this paper by Mr.. HulliDger, of
North township, contains some very
good ideas relative to the new law gov
ernihg teachers wages 1t is as follows:
"Lspsz, Ind, April s, 1901.
&C. w. Metsker, Plymouth, Ind.
"Desr Sir-While cleaning over the
columns of the Independent last eve
ming l was for the first time enabled to
learn how you stood on the new wage
system as applied to the employment
of Indiana teachers as provided by the
last general assembly.
al wish to state in the beginning that
| do not wish to crlticise you for the
stand you have taken, neither do l wish
to take issue with Mr.. Harrington.
The bill as passed was much discussed
among teachers and educators for sew
eral years and always found me oppos-
ing it, In fact, when the bill was TN
der consideration | prepared an article
to send you urging you to oppose it.
"My objections were substantially
the same as yours--that Q teacher is
born, not made; knowledge of the SUD-
jects taught must be accompanied by
| tact and talent in imparting it; that
necessary qualification of scholarship
does not pre-suppose q love for the
work-the most essential qualification
of the successful teacher. So much for
the opposition.
al believe you will agree with me
that the teacher, not the schoolmsster,
has not been receiving enough pay for
his work, and how to get something like
reasonable wages is what prompted the
passage of the law. If our township
trustees and boards of education were
able to discriminate between peds-
gogue and pettifogger the new law
would not have been necessary, but ex-
perience, scholarship, success, etc. ell
counted for naught at the hands of the
majority of the township trustees.
81 do not see that the argument in
reference to the political advantage
given the county superintendent will
admit of argument, but l fail to see
why the several thousand teachers of
Indiana should be handicapped, by
what some unworthy official might do
il he 80 desired.
al believe, however. that the percent
of scholarship, necessary to obtain lie
ense, should be raised TO 80 per cent.
| for q twelve months license, and the
six months license or trial license be
numbered among the fossilized relics
of the pact.
1.-THE higher per cent. would require
course of study in a special line and
no one not intending to make teaching
profession would try "to teach las they
now do just one term to say they had
taught school" or to get enough money
to buy their wedding outfit: or the
young man would not teach school in
the winter time to get funds to enable
him to attend medical school during
the summer vacation etc.
1.-THE payment of better wages will
greatly remedy the e-mentioned
weakness as teachers who have to
teach can come nearer making live
lihood than they could before and will
not drop out of the ranks for want of
living wages. Teachers will also re-
alIze that their services are appreciated
and believe that when they enter their
school rooms this fall they will have
much more energy and put forth
greater efforts than they ever have be-
fore.
"Hoping that should you again repre-
sent Marshall county, or any part of
this great republic of ours, that you
may be guided by proper motives, IS l
believe you have been in the past,
81 am very truly yours,
| al. ID. HULLINGER."