Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-04-12
COUNTRY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Are the Poorest Paid Workers
in the Profession.


Patient Painstaking Loborers for
the Good of their Fellow men should
Receive Compensation Somewhat
commemorate With Their Work.
To the Editor of the NEW DOMINION:
I This is the time of year, for closing
county schools, and holding District ex-
aminatlons, and we think it an appor-
tune time TO speak word in behalf OF
the teachers on their work. and we ask
the indulgence of our various Boards OF
Education, while We call for better pay
than has been though sufficient by them
IN the past. This might not be modest
or unassuming if it did not come from
an ex. or back number ii YOU WILL
| believe it is not unjust to any other
laborers to say of the country school
teachers that they are the most con-
scientious, painstaking workers OF any
class OF wage earners in the country ;
and withal work under more bosses,
are subjected to more fault findings and
criticisms and serve for less remunera-
ton than any others.
/ We believe the work of the school
room has lapsed somewhat in recent
years, and with the obstacles to over
come, OF insufficient pay, and lack of
interest of patrons, it is remarkable
that the whole business has not fallen
/ into irretrievable ruin. That it has not.
we can attribute only to the one fact
that many of the old teachers still re-
main at their posts, doing the work as a
side line, for none of them can afford
to make it their chief business.
How long will, or can, they remain in
the profession, If wages are not advan-
eed?
Teachers salaries are ridiculously
low, and no self-respeeting teacher can
confess publicly, what the District pays,
without blush Goldsmith could sing
of the Village Parson as "passing rich
with forty pounds year" but our
teaching fraternity do not receive near
/ ly so much, and no one suspects them
of sharing the lot OF the village preach
err.
The teacher is employed five months
in the year at a monthly wage or salary
ranging in the various districts from
| twenty eight to thirty-two dollars, and
i for the other seven months, must look
out for himself, all the while keeping in
touch with the profession of teaching,
attend County Institutes provide and
I liiotAbNth piANdAt iiOidtttH. anu SUI
scribe for and read educational litera
ture, besides keeping an eye generally
on this branch of the public service
Laying aside the last named inciden-
/ tai features OF professional teaching, we
ask, can laborers be employed on any
other line OF work at rates above mem
/ toned?
Let us inquire of any employer OF la
Dor il he can retain the same corps Of
workmen year after year at thirty dol
lars month, if he promises only FIVE
months work each wear. He could
keep his workmen the first five months
| possibly,-if they came "broke ''-but
where would they be when he wanted
them the second time?
| Yet this is what the teacher is asked
to do, for there is not sufficient mum
Der of graduates each year TO take
charge OF the schools, even If they de-
sired to do so.
| There was time in the history of
| Monongalia county when the education
al interests were to the for and her
! public school work commanded first at
| tention at home, and some attention
! from over the state. Those were days
of low wages, it is true, but that, paid
the teacher was the best paid for any
common labor today the same figures
are the lowest.
Then the people lived quietly on
their farms and carried on a system of
! barter, instead of cash trade with each
other; time when money was scarce
and dear in Monongalia, and could not
| be obtained by the working class except
through the school treasury. Then the
best talent of our young men and wom-
EN- lifted itself for teaching, and this ac-
counts for the superior work done In
the school room in earlier years.
! Some seem to think that teachers
should work for glory and love of their
profession, and that any mention of
money consideration is sordid and be-
meath them. A beautiful theory, but
! indifferent in practice
| The teachers have wants the same as
other people, and must have the means
to meet them. Tommy Watkins, OF
earlier years-the years of barter-was
faithful hand, and his services were
much sought for. 1t CHANGED one sea-
son that those who wished to employ
him had coal to exchange for labor, and
| finally he exclaimed, "-I can't eat
coal" Teachers could not live on glory
If they had it.
| The autocrat OF the school room can
not. chameleon like. feed ON air." SO
the question OF wages like Banquo's
ghost will not down at the bidding Of
any one, but will rise at the teachers
poor banquet feast to point the one
thing needful to full fare Teachers are
not philanthropists because Of limited
| means.
! What is the result7 Teachers are
passing from the work, and no induce
ments are offered the boys and girls to
ct themselves for it so they are qualify
ing themselves for other vocations, and
the business OF teaching lags.
Each year more schools are vacant
until we can send over the border and
import teachers to teach them, and as
these strangers always come from town
ships which:pay more than double the
salaries paid here, with longer terms,
we leave the fact to point its own moral.
A few months since a member of one of
our Boards of Education said to the
writer, 81 can't understand it, the
teachers are growing scarce IT can't