Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-18
PAY is TOO LITTLE.
School Teachers Are Deserving the
Ranks.

School Teachers Are Deserving the
Ranks.
A great cry has gone up in the state
of Iowa that school teachers are not
to be had. Various reasons have been
assigned, chief among them being the
fact that salaries are too low. Pro-
fessor H. H. Seerley of Cedar Falls,
gets at the heart of the matter in the
following interview which will be
read with interest by country school
teachers and will give the patrons of
those schools something to think
about as well:
There is a large shortage of teach
ers for the public schools, but the in
ference is also made that this short |
age is due to lack of chance for prep
aration. 1t is right to know the whole |
truth, and it is with that purpose, in
mind that write this letter. The
chief cause of the scarcity of public
school teachers is an economic one,
the salaries commonly paid are not
sufficient to give a respectable living.
There is hardly vocation that women
follow as business but what gives
better remuneration than teaching. III
it were not for the attractiveness of
the vocation for women not half the
schools could be filed at the present
salaries. Teaching is an expensive life
at the best. 1t requires money and
time to prepare well and if one is
fortunate in getting position at $50
a month it will take nearly ten years
for the teacher to pay back the money
she expended upon her education, sup
posing that she spent three years at
$3.50 year. When teacher has the
kind of board and room she ought to
have, when she has the books, maya
zines and newspapers she ought to
have to keep abreast of the times,
when she attends lectures, concerts,
etc., that she must do if she keeps
herself well informed and cultivated,
when she participates in the social life
of the community and pays her part
of the required expense, when she
helps the church. the Sunday school
and other such matters financially. as
good conscience should approve, when
she pays her dentist, her dressmaker,
her milliner and her doctor, let alone
the other expenses that are naturally
| demanded, such as state teachers as
| ISOLATION, institute and vacation bills
| she is fortunate indeed if she gets ev-
en- with the world at the end of ten
| years.
! When it is remembered that the
great mass of the teachers get less sal
airy than $50 month, even when they
| live in cities and towns, it is not to be
wondered at that there are plenty of
$50 and S25 places waiting for appli
| cantS. The fact is that if teachers
were paid what the service is worth
there would be no trouble to have a
surplus at present standards of such
as could afford to follow the business
Normal schools and colleges can not
supply teachers when the economic
conditions are what they are today.
The state can found many normal
schools, but the same condition will
continue until the business of teach
ing has proper returns for the SER
vice, as the poor house is the final re-
! firing place for those who attempt to
lay by enough from the salaries re-
ceived as public school teachers to be
able to spend their declining years in
reasonable comfort. 1t is true that the
state normal school has more applica-
lions for teachers than it can fill at
present salaries. The school boards
who apply for teachers expect won.
derful accomplishments for meager
salaries. 1t was only the other day
that one of the Iowa good towns asked
for a specialist in German and vocal
music combined, and stated that the
salary was very liberel-S50 a month
Such salary is really nothing for per
sons that are really possessed of eth
err of those specialties, and at the
same time have decided success as in
structors and governors of high schoo
grades.
1 agree with the superintendent Of
public instruction that it is better tt
! close the schools than to license the
incompetent, but ! would go a steI
further and say that the teachers are
justified in letting the schools alone
If the people are unwilling to pay liv
, ing wages for the high professional
service demanded. The entire ques
ton is an economic one and SHOULD
receive due attention from that side
of the problem. Pay living salaries
. and there will be teachers willing tt
, take the schools. The transient teach
err will be abolished and as business
! it will be honored and esteemed al
! soon as teaching is put upon bust
: ness basis.
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