The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-20
TEACHERS SALARIES.

Incidental to another question, that OF
teachers salaries received some attention
at the meeting OF the School Superintend-
ton with the question of procuring more
and better teachers. Strong arguments
were made in favor of raising the standard
for employment of teachers, when the state
superintendent said the real problem now
was to get teachers at all. He said he had
received from one-third of the counties i'm
the State requests to recommend teachers,
the local authorities saying they could
not obtain them. He said: There are $3.50
teachers In the State who have graduated
from high schools; there are 1,lOO that are
college graduates; there are about 200 that
are graduates of normal schools. There
are something like 1900 who have no bet
ter than a common school education" The
Journal agrees with the state superintend-
ent that these figures are eloquent" They
are eloquent of condition which should
not exist, because it shows a very large
the State have received only a common
school education and presumably are not
well qualified for the work OF teaching The
superintendent attributed this condition OF
affairs to the small pay which teachers re-
ceive, and he said: Until something is
teachers there is little use to demand ex-
traordnary qualifications
The subject is an important one. 1t is
not calculated to iatter State pride or to
sustain the popular idea as to the superior
ity of our public school system to learn
about 1900 have no better than a common
school education. If this condition is due
to inadequate pay some means should be
found TO correct IL. The superintendent of
schools in this city recently stated that
one of the greatest difficulties he had to
contend with was obtaining competent
teachers who would continue in the work
at the salaries offered. From what the
state superintendent says the difficulty pre-
walls throughout the State. One might ask
what becomes of the graduates of our col
leges. and why is 1t that OF over 1900
ledChefS III the otdte Only ABOUT l,Zu are
graduates of normal schools? Obviously
our college and normal school graduates
seek other employments than teaching or
else they go where teachers are better paid
II the Journal is correctly informed there
has been no material increase in the COM
pensation OF teachers in this State for
many years. Yet the cost of living has in
creased. the rewards i'm all other profess
sions have become more liberal and wages
generally have advanced. Within the last
ten days the wages of over 10000 railroad
men have been increased 10 per cent. and
one of the reasons given for the advance
was the increased cost of living III per-
sons competent TO teach cannot make a de-
cent living in the profession they will not
enter IL. or will get out of IL as soon as pos
sible. leaving their places to be filled by in
competents. Mr.. Mitchell. president of the
American Miners Union. recently stated
that he regarded $500 a year as the mimi
mum that a coal miner ought TO receive.
The average pay OF Indiana teachers is less
than that The last report OF the United
States commissioner OF education showed
that the average annual salaries of teach
ers and supervising officers In cities of over
5000 inhabitants In this State was s5sso5.
This statement included only city schools