The Washington times., 1901-10-21

rector of cooking. director of sewing, five
in all, at s., 400 each, $500; for six prin-
cipals of buildings and assistant director
| of drawing at 81 300 each, 50, 100; for two
normal training teachers. five teachers in
Manual Training School No. /,
fourteen High School teachers, twen-
ty-five principals of buildings, forty
six in all, at $500 each. s55, 200;
for assistant director of primary work
and one High School teacher, two, at
81, 100 each, 1920; for eighty-two. at 81. .0o0
each, $50, 900; for eighteen, at $3.50 each,
s17, 100; for twenty-one, at 500 each, SIS.
500; for seventeen, at Ss75 each, s14, SIS; for
sixteen, at $3.50 each, SlS,600; for eighty
nine, at $50 each, sI3. .425; for thirty-four,
at $500 each, 1900; for ninety-five, at
S115 each. 1884, for seventeen, at $3.50
each, 81, 100; for one hundred and thirty
five, at 500 each, s94, 900; for four. at $50
each, S,7oo; for enc hundred and forty
four, at $3.50 each, S93, 500; for forty-eight,
at $500 each, SIS, 500: for eighty-iive
at $50 each, $4,000; for one hundred and
forty-three, at $3.50 each, s7S. $50; for five
at s525 each, g 625; for one hundred and
thirty-one, at $500 each, s655co; for thirty
nine, at $40 each, slS,525; for one hundred
ss2S. rs. " WV ' '''''''' 80 '''
The above schedule shows that, of ,3Ol
teachers employed by the District, only
III will, during the next fiscal year. re-
ceive salaries Of 81, 900 or more. The high
est salary paid is $2,750 to the director of
the high schools, a position hardly less
responsible than that of the Superintend-
ent. Then the salaries descend rapidly
through the supervising principals and
the principals of high schools down TO the
regular teachers, eighty-two of whom re-
ceiye 81 coo each. From this point the
salaries grow less and less until the bot
tom Of the list is reached, where sixty
six are to receive $3.50 each, or So a month
ff1r far ,frga he h.. r.r.1N
Major Twomblys idea was that in order
for person to become a school teacher
he must be well educated, and must be
in the strict sense of the word trained to
the profession. These teachers, he said,
are not chosen by chance. Each one must
haze capabilities for the work or they
cannot hope to remain in 1t. For this
reason he thought that compensation
ranging from $1,000 a year to s4o0 a year
is nigBardly.
The ex-secretary was asked how the
teachers could support themselves upon
the salaries paid He replied that many
Of them were driven to the strictest econ
omy to do so. He pointed out that many
of the teachers are members Of families
where they are one OF several bread
winners. and that, by pooling their earn
ings. home is kept overhead and the
teacher gets along fairly well. He cited
the example Of one teacher with whom
he is acquainted, where there is family
of six The two girls are teachers, one
earning $500 and the other $40. The two
sons are employed in the departments.
and the four keep their parents. They
live in comfort and that is all. The girls
add their mite to the household expenses
and dress very modestly.
Another case was cited where a year or
so ago the father of the family had d
good position In the War Department.
In this case said Secretary TwOmbly,
the oldest daughter sought position in
the public schools and was engaged last
year for $500 There were in this family
two younger girls and boy, all in school
The salary of the daughter served to sup
port her and to aid somewhat in the
household expenses. Last winter the
father was taken sick and died OF pneu-
the resources of the family were reduced
TO the salary Of the girl who was teach
ing The boy found such employment as
he could at few dollars a week; the
mother and daughter took in light sewing
and earned little. When the teacher
one day came to my office and told Of
her circumstances she was unfit for work
owing to anxiety and lack of rest" She
was very soon promoted to a place that
she had put her brother back in school
and was somehow getting along and edu-
eating the younger ones, but how he
could not sec.
The former secretary said that there
were many cases among the teachers
where the domestic problem was u very
serious one on account of the low salaries
received. He said that he knew teachers
whose worries at home untitled them for
work In the school room He thought
such conditions were bad. and that pub
lie school teachers ought to be paid sal
aries sufficient at least to raise them
a abOVc want.