The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-07-17
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

We 'HSihlaIls may Just as vel
lace the music and acknowledge the
truth that the real cause for tn,
scarcity of up-to date teachers in this
State is theextremely low wages paid
to instructors.
When the wages are compared
with the income of other professions
they appear SO ridiculous that one i.
compelled to admit that herein lie.
very much of the cause for the back
wardness of education in the Ole
Dominion.
Let Us draw few comparisons in
order to see just what We are doing
for our children.
2 The average country school teacher
is paid $50 per month for his or her
laborand the average country school
is open for about seven months in
each year. BY an easy calculation it
Is seen that the average teacher of IA
Country School in Virginia receives
500 per annum for his or her work.
Even this small amount is much
more than some receive but we will
use it as basis for comparison.
The average city laborer, who is
not compelled to go to school day
in his life and who need not even be
able to write his name receives S39I =
- for his work.
1t Is true that the Country school
teacher has n long vacation period
in which. 10y other labor. he NAV
possibly add to his salary but any
one knows that a good school teach
er needs this time to improve his in
tellectual condition So that he may
keep abreast of the times. The fact
that a teacher successfully passed an
examination 10 years ago and was
fitted for the work then is no argu-
ment that he is still fitted. 4 good
teacher must also be a good student.
Then again the laborer has no
demands on his wages except those
necessary for food and clothing and
possible medicine while the teacher
10y virtue ofhis position, is compelled
to buy books every year and some
times these books are very expensive.
Aside from this drain on his already
fiat purse, in these days he is expect
ed to attend a Summer Normal school
and he of course has to bear his own
travelling and boarding expenses
while there.
Thus it can be readily seen that. at
the end of the year the laborer is
better off financially than the aver
age Country School teacher of Viz
ginia.
For years the cry in this State has
been give us more schools" when it
ought to have been give us better
teachers with living salaries.
We cannot expect any teacher to
give us 5000 worth ofservicefor only
500 salary any more than we can
expect 81 per month farm hand to
do the work OF a $40 hand. There
is reason in all things.
We must confess that we are nm
reasonable when we expect to have |
first class teachers for fourth class
wages.
II our schools can't afford to nav .
better wages to teachers. then we
should close some OF the schools
and combine several school dis
tricts so that we can afford I
to hire a good teacher. 1t is
cheaper and better to send our child
rem four orfive miles away from home
to good school thanit canpossibly |
be to have one of these little fourth |
class schools right at our door.
The hope of this State lies in IFS
its public schools. Poor schools
turn out poor scholars and Door
scholars make poor citizens. and we
all will admit that poor citizenship
will never advance our Common
wealth to that position where she
has a right to stand.
We trust that this matterwill soon
command the attention ofour Legis-
lators and that Virginia, beautiful.
historic Virginia, may soon have
public school system of which,none
need feel ashamed.
We trust there will be no disorder
1T Montross when the negro rapist