The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-28
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND SALARY,

The Messenger has now and then re-
ferred to the small salary paid to teach
ers in the common schools Of this state.
1t has many times insisted upon a hlgn-
er grade Of teachers and
1t with the opinion that more money
was necessary before the better pay
would or could come. 1t Is to be hoped
that one OF the good fruits to be
gathered from the educational cam
paign will be al increase of pay for
faithful. capable teachers.A low grade
of teachers inevitably results in a low
grade Of teaching.
The State Normal Magazine for Feb
ruary is an educational number 1t ex-
poses the small pay for teachers. North
Carolina stands first in illiteracy, in
salary for teachers. and in educational
interest. That is to say North Carolina
in the past failed to do its duty, but
there we're some very potential reasons
for this. We name but two; the great
losses and depression in consequence
Of the prolonged, ~exhausting war. She
buried over Il, 900 of her men. or more
than one-third of the voters in 1860.
The men were not numerous enough to
recuperate the state, and it was years
before it was rehabilitated. Second, the
northern vandals in the shape of car
pet-baggers came down upon the dear
old mother to rob and ~dragonade her,
Assisted by treacherous most, un-
worthy natives. and the great gang Of
freed negroes capped with the cleo
toraI franchise which they were unable
to use with discretion and wisdom,
North Carolina a a great debt of
some $31, 0OO, 900 forced upon her.
1t is really wonderful that the white
taxpayers moved a finger or paid a
cent of tax for negro education prior
to 1884. Instead they paid millions out
of their poverty. The north and some
North Carolina teachers do not appear
to know these most important things.
So. il North Carolina is tardy at
school and unremunerative as to pay,
it may not be really a cause for sur
prise if of regret From a table in State
Normal Magazine we get some Stats
tics. The United States pay 1858 per
month in salary to men and $685. to
m That is unfair to the women IL
they are as capable and efficient as the
men. How does North Carolina show
up just here? She pays $24 64-bu a
little over half of the general average
to men and 1921 to women. She does
hottor IN tho liyiS;nn than fba JTpife5
States do. The South Atlantic Division
poor .one-pays s2S.4S. to men and
S25.73 to women.
The statistics of the government
h that male and female teachers in
this country actually secure less now
h they received fourteen years ago.
The negroes receive smaller pay, but
not much less, than the whites upon an
average. In cities with populations over
5000. the average in the entire country
for teachers is $63S.35. In the South
Atlantic States $556.12. But in poor
North Carolina it is but S396.46. Think
of this. OF all divisions the South At
lantic averages least in pay, and North
Carolina is way below that average.
In the rich north teachers are paid
a great deal more than in the south
a teacher in the north is degraded
somewhat in the treatment he is SUBJ
jected to by patrons of schools. Teach
ing up there is not yet ennobled. A
commercial man is a bigger man"than
a scholarly teacher. At any rate the
magazine quoted from a a self-re-
speeding paragraph or so and a state
ment of fact that illustrates manner
II customs. 1t says:
In one respect our teachers in the
south are more blessed than those of
the north. The writer gives the words
Of a wealthy man, generous in his do
nations to educational work, as most
eulogistic of the teacher, exclaiming:
What profession is so noble n so
sacred? All honor to the teacher and
Their the author dds: ION the same
evening he entertained at dinner the
designer Of his yacht, while the teacher
Of his children dined with them. as al
ways, in the servants ordinary" The
teacher in question was a private gov
erness but this thing could not have
happened in North Carolina, nor per-
haps in h south.
The Messenger is North Caroliniar
wool and warp. 1t is no blind to the
truth. 1t sees difficulties, short COM
ings, indifference, widely prevailing
ignorance and very imperfect educa-
ton often among those who aspire to
be classed with educated people. 1t
is a mistake to aff1ict the female
teachers. The really capable ones
should be dealt with appreciatively
and alphabetically. Do not put them
on half rations and demand full ser
vice. Be firm Be just Says the State
Normal Magazine:
I'VE can not escape criticism so long
as we say that the average woman
teacher must live on $22.21 per month